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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-10-13, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1999. C itizenTheNorthHuron Xocna ^CNA P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil Member Ontario Prns Council E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com The Citizen is published 50 times a year 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 $100/year in other foieign coun­ tries. 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 for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 09244 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 1374990 E ditorial l. .............:...:....zzz] Goderich right, Goderich wrong It’s understandable that the Town of Goderich is not happy with the current amalgamation process in Huron County that, as it stands, leaves the town with its same boundaries while all municipalities around it expand. The town’s Mayor Deb Shewfelt is wrong, however, when he tries to hold the entire county ransom because it won’t let him have his way. Shewfelt’s frustration is natural. The amalgamation situation is creating a lot of problems that will need to be addressed after the new amalgamation plans have been finalized. The county earlier decided that no boundary adjustments could be allowed until the original round of amalgamations was complete. The problem for Shewfelt is he worries that once the long amalgamation process is finished, nobody’s going to want to reopen the issue for boundary adjustments. And Goderich’s case is probably the most obvious of the crazy situations created by amalgamating whole municipalities together. When people in the rest of the county go to Canadian Tire, Zehrs or Wal-Mart, they probably think they’re going to Goderich. Under the amalgamation plan for Central Huron, those large stores will actually be in a municipality probably with its centre in Clinton. It hardly makes sense. Shewfelt, calling Goderich “the engine of the county” also sees the need for more land for Goderich to expand in the future. The town has ambitious plans to take over a sizeable chunk of Goderich Twp. But while Shewfelt may be right, he couldn’t have picked a much worse tactic to win support than trying to blackmail the whole county with the threat of calling in a provincial restructuring commissioner. It has been fear of a provincial commissioner (and what one did in Kent County where he brought in single-tier government despite local opposition) that has driven the amalgamation process in Huron. Now most areas have come up with proposals and Shewfelt seemed to feel he could frighten people into accepting his proposal rather than risk a commissioner. The mayor acted like a terrorist loaded with explosives, threatening to blow up himself and everybody else if ransom isn’t paid. Is it any wonder he angered other councillors so much nobody was interested in holding up the Central Huron plan for more negotiations? The whole matter does not bode well for the future of a restructured Huron County. If might is right, as the Goderich mayor suggests, then there isn’t going to be the kind of co-operation required to make things work. — KR Photo by Janice Becker Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen The consumer is king, maybe A panel of agricultural leaders at the annual meeting of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture’s annual meeting in Brussels Thursday night agreed that the consumer will drive the future of the food industry. Well sort of. Though consumers have expressed concern over the use of genetically-altered foods, farm leaders aren’t likely to let them change the current full-speed-ahead adoption of genetic engineering on the farm. Most of the six leaders on the panel for the discussion of “Charting a course for agriculture” felt biotechnology opens up new opportunities for farmers in potentially new crops and cheaper input costs. While they admit farmers will have to change their production habits to meet consumer demands in other areas, including reducing the use of antibiotics in feeds, they refuse to acknowledge the concerns of consumers over genetic engineering. All that is just “emotion” as one leader said. In fact farm leaders seem bent on preventing even a debate on the issue in farm circles. When one person at the meeting proposed the Ontario Federation of Agriculture call for a moratorium on new genetically altered products until more research is done, and was supported by another farmer who admits he uses Bt corn but is still concerned, one respected farm leader ended debate by calling for the resolution to be tabled — with no time frame for it ever coming back to be discussed again. End of debate. Farm leaders seem to feel if they ignore it, the whole issue will just go away. But like the issues of antibiotics in animal feeds and of large scale livestock operations, genetically engineered food continues to lurk in the minds of consumers (and even many farmers). The issue must be dealt with whether farm leaders want to or not. , Oct. 10, 1979 About 13 windows were broken at Hullett Central School in Londesboro causing $1,000 dam­ age. Vandals had thrown several rocks through them sometime over the previous weekend. The Blyth Lions hosted a shoot­ ing match. The winners walked away with a turkey. At the annual meeting of the Huron Women’s Institutes a num­ ber of bursaries were presented. Marie Buchanan accepted an award for Helen Brindley, Judy Morrison received a bursary and Jane Dearling accepted an award for her daughter Anne. The winner of the Auburn and District Lion’s Club lottery was Wayne Smith of London. County council was told by the medical officer of health that the number of abortions carried out in Huron in 1978 represented an increase of 75 per cent in the past five years. Oct. 11, 1989 The contract for the expansion of Blyth Memorial Hall was let to a Lambeth company for $1,143,300. A decision on the location of the north unit of Huronview was delayed by county council until November so that a tour could be arranged of the competing sites in Brussels and Wingham. The North Huron Publishing Co. Inc. gave birth to Townsman, a magazine aimed at promoting the unique lifestyle of western Ontario. Lyle and Alice Brothers of Brussels celebrated their 50th wed­ ding anniversary. The attendance at Blyth Festival set new records in terms of num­ bers and percentage of seats filled with a near-capacity season. Overall, 97 per cent of all seats were sold from all 102 perfor­ mances. Festival officials reported total attendance to be 47,554. The Huron County Junior Farmers recognized agriculture and its people in Huron County at their Agri-Food Week Dinner. Rural Leadership awards went to Bruce Bergsma, RR1, Londesboro; Elizabeth Earl. RR2, Listowel; Doug Gamiss, RR4, Wingham; Glen McNeil, RR6, Goderich and Dianne van Vliet, RR1, Walton. The official opening of Ball’s Bridge just outside of Auburn was held. Snipping the ribbon were MP Murray Cardiff, Steve Killaire, municipal engineer for MTO, MPP Jack Riddell, Huron County Warden Dave Johnston and Lionel Wilder, chairman of the county road committee. Debbie McGill and her husband Mike opened M&D General Store in Auburn. Tanya Boonstoppel, Marlene Albers and Cheryl Darlow compet­ ed for the title of Huron County Dairy Princess. Oct. 12, 1994 Recipients of the Menzies award at the F.E. Madill Secondary School commencement were Dan Hall, Jay Hahn, Kelly Overholt, Maryanne Perrie, Jacquie Seili, Rhonda Heise, Emma Richards, Jason Engel. Other local students receiving awards included Krista Bird of Belgrave who earned the Wescast Industries award; Christine Carr of Brussels who received the Wingham Optimists Award, Angie Yoon, for proficiency in biology and chemistry, Shane Pegg, Blue vale, Louise Patton Memorial Award; Heather Somers, Brussels, Stephanie Lea Henry Memorial Merit Award; Todd Machan, Bluevale, F.E. Madill Secondary School Teaching Staff Award. Work on the new Blyth soccer field was at a standstill until spring. Dr. Janet Zettel joined the Seaforth Medical Centre staff.