HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-11-03, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1999.
Group of five continues
restructuring planning
The issues of administration, fire
protection and cemeteries were on
the table at the Oct. 26 restructur
ing meeting between Seaforth and
Brussels and Grey, McKillop and
Tuckersmith Twps.
While the southern three munici
palities had very little to do with
the operation of cemeteries as they
are run by the associated churches.
Brussels and Grey Twp. are more
involved.
Volunteer boards oversee the
municipal cemeteries and Brussels
Cemetery has a seasonal full-time
employee. All are fully or partially
self-funded.
It was noted care should be taken
to maintain genealogical and his
toric records.
It was suggested the new munici
pality explore compiling or com
puterizing cemetery data and
making it accessible to the public
through libraries. Operation of
municipal cemeteries should con
tinue in the same manner with the
necessary support staff and a good
working relationship with the
boards, both private and municipal,
should be maintained.
For fire protection, it was agreed
fire prevention measures and fire
inspections should be a priority for
the new municipality.
The age of equipment in Brussels
and Grey was a conceni.
Consideration will be given to
the hiring of one fire chief to facili
tate the co-ordination of the three
stations and perform administration
duties, imposing a user-pay system
for inspections and reports and
reviewing existing agreements and
coverage areas. -
On the administration front, it
was reported there had recently
been 11.5 employees in the five
municipalities. Noting the signifi
cant transition issues to be faced by
employees prior to and after amal
gamation, it was suggested the new
municipality would have 10 staff.
The transition board will prepare
job descriptions and hire staff,
investigate a convenient method
and location for residents to pay
bills (Vanastra and Brussels),
investigate renovations to the
Seaforth office and a new account
ing system and tender insurance
and audit functions.
With regards to land and property
issues, it was recommended the
sale or purchase of capital assets be
approved by the transition team and
land holdings would be reviewed in
detail to determine their need to the
new municipality.
Seaforth was the only municipal
ity with an outstanding debenture,
with payments applied to the ward
after amalgamation.
In determining a reserve fund for
the new municipality it was report
ed only Tuckersmith and Grey
could meet a four per cent contribu
tion while the rest could handle
three per cent. If set at the three per
cent level, the new municipality
would have a reserve of
$1,206,067.
The transition board will deter
mine the percentage used, based on
weighted assessment and a collec
tion. Allocation method would be
established along with a time
frame.
In preparation for submission of
the plan to the county and province,
Brussels Reeve Ralph Watson and
McKillop Reeve Bill Siemon sug
gested a “name the municipality”
contest with a $100 prize. The cost
of the contest would be apportioned
between the municipalities based
on assessment.
A public meeting will be held
Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. in Seaforth to
provide information to the public.
KRAFT
PEANUT
BUTTER
1 KG
Teri Thousand Village sale
sees 50 per cent increase
KRAFT
MACARONI
& CHEESE
225 G BOX
FRESH STORE-MADE
FARMER'S
SAUSAGE
ONTARIO NO. 1
ONIONS OR
CARROTS
2 LB. BAG
When the door closed on the Ten
Thousand Villages International
Craft Sale at Brussels Mennonite
Fellowship on Saturday, Oct. 16
the volunteer cashiers announced
that pre-tax sales had reached
$15,594. Spontaneous cheers and
clapping could be heard throughout
the building. Chairperson Linda
Garland told the group that this was
a 50 per cent increase over last
year’s sale.
Volunteers from the churches in
Brussels plus several from the
Quaker group had spent two days
unpacking, pricing and setting up
displays of the unusual and creative
crafts from 30 countries around the
world. These same volunteers
became sales staff, cashiers and
packers during the three day sale.
Everyone found personal
satisfaction in knowing that a
$15,594 sale will provide eight
artisans and their families with
income for one year.
For many of these families this
means basic survival, improved
shelter, health care and education
for their children which will allow
them to live more fully.
A steady stream of customers
poured into the sale each day, many
coming from more than 60 kms.
away and many who have been
coming to this sale for several
years. Consequently, sales on each
day reached $5,000 and there was a
good selection of crafts throughout
the three days.
Customers enjoyed the casual
atmosphere with background music
from Africa and South America
and places to sit down and rest
while sipping Bridgehead coffee or
fresh-pressed apple juice donated
by Maitside Orchards. Many told
the organizers that they will
definitely be back next year.
One customer purchased a large
Kenyan drum for his new home,
but was disappointed when he was
unable to fit it into his car as he
was having an open house the next
day. One of the volunteers put the
drum into her van and delivered it
in time for the open house.
The Mennonite youth held a bake
sale throughout the sale and on
Saturday served a light lunch,
which appealed to many who had
driven a distance. The youth made
a sizable donation from their
proceeds to Ten Thousand
Villages.
Joanne Kanck Dirks, festival sale
co-ordinator for Ontario, attributes
the increase in sales at Brussels to
the increased publicity and
improved marketing. “Brussels
Mennonite Fellowship reaches out
to people in a 60-km. radius of
Brussels,” she said.
Dirks concludes, “Brussels uses
every means possible to reach new
customers and remind regular
customers about their sales”.
99
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