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The Citizen, 1999-11-10, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1999. Concerns grow over restructuring timetable Despite concerns over the deteriorating status of amal gamation talks in northern Huron. county council approved a bylaw to set the composition of county coun cil tor 2001, after amalgama tions become official. Several councillors expressed concern about going ahead with the bylaw when northern Huron’s amal gamation attempts seem to be in a shambles. Morris and Tumberry had earlier called oft talks and Morris Reeve Bert Elliott announced at Thursday's meeting, that after County boosts price for land bought in Grey Huron County council has agreed with Grey Twp. landowners that land pur chased for widening of County Rd. 19 is worth more than the $2,400 per acre orig inally offered. At a public meeting Oct. 6. landowners affected by the widening argued that the price of land had increased since the $2,400 was original ly set. Some suggested $5,000 would be a fair figure. County council compromised, setting a new price at $3,200. County, council briefs Councillors approve new contract with non-union employees Huron County councillors approved a new contract with their non unionized employ ees at the Nov. 4 meeting that will see employees get increases of two per cent per year over the next three years. Employees will also receive an improved vision care pack age. matching that offered to unionized employees. They will receive $150 every two years under the program. *** Restaurants that provide a smoke-free atmosphere are the most likely to increase their business, a survey con ducted by the Health Unit found. The survey, completed by 84 of 105 restaurants to which it was circulated, reported that restaurants with 75 per cent smoke-free seating were 1.6 times more likely to report an increase in business. Those that did not permit smoking at all. were three limes as likely to increase their business. The results of the survey will be presented at the Ontario Public Health Association Conference in Toronto, Nov. 15.*** The Huron County Library Board is involved in a study to determine the economic impact of a library on a down town area. The study is part of the planning for an expanded a meeting with the North Huron group, his council had decided to go it alone. Turnberry has also said it will stand alone as has Howick. Meanwhile the agreement between Blyth. East Wawanosh and Wingham is contingent on settlement of the disbanding of the Wingham police force. Lynn Murray, county clerk administrator. told councillors if they wanted to have the new council structure in place for the election in the fail of next year they needed to pass the bylaw by Dec. 3J. Otherwise Norm Fairies, reeve of Howick. felt the increase in price was excessive. "I won der if a one-third increase isn’t a bit high,” he said. But Jack Coleman, reeve of Stanley Twp. said the price has been at $2,400 for as long as he could remember and it was time for it to be increased. Doug Grant, reeve of Bayfield, on the other hand, was surprised the price was so low, given land prices he’d been hearing in his area. Exeter branch of the county library and will try to deter mine the value library users contribute to the surrounding retail area, compared to if the library was located outside the downtow n core. *** Huron’s welfare rolls soared in August when the province transferred 235 sole support cases to the county’s Social Services Department. That nearly doubled the num ber of cases the department is handling, from 364 in August 1998 to 625 in 1999 and increased the number of bene ficiaries from 819 to 1.501. Sole support welfare recipi ents now represent 60 per cent of the workload for the department. Sole support recipients, under the provincial directive, will have their welfare cut off unless they complete partici pation agreements under the Ontario Works program. *** Ciaus Breede, director and curator of the Huron County Museum reported attendance at the museum’s quilt show, which closed Sept. 6. as dis appointing and it will be given a "rest" after 15 years. Other quilt shows have sprung up and have divided the audience, Breede said.*** Net revenue from the 1999 International Plowing Match they would still have a council of 26 members in 2001. even if some municipalities had been dissolved. Municipalities can still work out amalgamation plans until the end of June, she said. “I really think we need to show some leadership and support this bylaw." said Warden Carol Mitchell. Council approved the amal gamation plan for Ashfield, West Wawanosh and Colborne. an expansion of the original plan between Ashfield and West Wawanosh. Brian McBumey, reeve of Turnberry Twp. reminded councillors that prices of $5,000 tossed around were for workable land. The coun ty pays the same for whatever land it purchases, even if it’s swampland. Grey Twp. Reeve Robin Dunbar thanked council for listening to township resi dents and for putting a plan in place to upgrade County Rd. 19, the last unpaved county road. at Dashwood will be announced later this month or early next, Graeme Craig, chair of the local committee told the administration, finance and personnel com mittee. Attendance at the match was 177,000. During the committee meet ing, Craig was presented with a special denim shirt with a county crest worn by county councillors for the IPM. He was also presented with a humourous “Huron County Bounty Basket" by Warden Carol Mitchell at the regular council meeting. Lawyers to discuss issue Continued from page 1 Municipal Act to try to allow Wingham to keep its force, but disbanding the force would come under the Police Services Act. The matter remains unre- ■ solved until Wingham’s lawyer talks to the county’s lawyer. Our patience will achieve more than our force —Edmund Burke Meanwhile Blyth Reeve Mason Bailey was surprised by the announcement of Elliott that Morris had with drawn from talks with the North Huron group. "If we knew everything then, we know now our pro posal would have been here- now." said Bailey. “We held it up hoping Morris would join us.” Speaking during public County gives support to industrial strategies Huron County Council has agreed to support several strategies designed to boost industrial activity in the coun ty. based on a study by the Manufacturing Strategy Group. Goderich Town Councillor John Grace, who heads the group, and consultants Sandy Baroudi and Gerry Pisarowski presented 15 recommenda tions to county council at the Nov. 4 meeting. Council adopted nine that apply to its jurisdiction, including adding the county’s warden and chair of the planning and develop ment committee to the group. Among the initiatives the group proposes, Baroudi told council, is an education pro gram to make local young people more aware of jobs available in local industries. An apprenticeship plan, simi lar to one in Simcoe County, would also help students learn skills that would make them valuable to local industries, many of which have trouble finding skilled trades. Initiatives through the schools would also include training students in internet skills that would allow local question period. East Wawanosh Councillor Judrth Gaunt who has been spear heading the North Huron talks, said the policing issue should not hold up the amal gamation plan because East Wawanosh and Blyth already have an agreement with the OPP and the amalgamated municipality would not be allowed to have two police forces, therefore Wingham manufacturers to develop more internet commerce. The internet is providing the abili ty for “mass customization" of production. The county can take a lead role in improving information collection and access between county industries, said Pisarowski. Many manufac turers said they weren’t aware of what other manufacturers were doing. The county’s role is creating an inventory of available industrial land and the servic es that are available and to develop and maintain an inter net website to make this infor mation easily available for anyone looking for a new location for a plant. The group will also explore the Entrepreneurial Manufacturing Generation program which is operating in St. Thomas. The goal of this group is to encourage people who have an interest in manu facturing to. start businesses, and to assist them all the way through the development of a business plan. The St. Thomas group is interested in setting up a satellite program and will make a presentation in Huron. INSTRUCTOR ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCES YOU'LL EVER HAVE. No previous military training necessary. The Cadet Instructors Program. Inspire young Canadians while learning valuable skills in your part-time. Training, remunera tion, and fulfilment. A chance to mentor 12 to 18-year-olds in a variety of outdoor activities, including camping, hiking and biathlon; a unique opportunity to pass on your technical, edu cational and sports knowledge. If you're between the ages of 18 and 65, call 1-800-856-8488 or visit our Web site at www.dnd.ca for information on becoming a Cadet Instructor. It is part-time well spent. Canada would have to disband by 2001. Other councillors were not so sure they could approve a North Huron plan without the policing issue resolved. Grey Reeve Robin Dunbar suggested the county had the power to reduce the number of municipalities and perhaps should use that power to bring about more amalgamation in northern Huron. The strategy also focuses on using the cluster of strong manufacturers with global connections to try to attract more industry to Huron. Leaders of these companies can play a major role in con vincing companies they deal with that Huron would be a good place to expand or relo cate, Baroudi said. And Huron should exploit its natural advantage in the food industry as the province’s largest, most var ied producer of agricultural products. Food processing companies in Canada plan to spend $10 billion in new facil ities in the next eight years and this presents a tremen dous opportunity for the coun ty to position itself to capture more processing of its agricul tural products. Currently 900 people are involved in agri processing in Huron and another 700 jobs could be added, Baroudi said. On Nov. 11 Take time to remember