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• A i e Cit zen
Irving the communities g„LBlytand Brussels and northern Huron County
Wednesday, May 9, 2001 Volume 17 No. 19 75 Cents (70c + 5c GST)
Inside this week
Brussels Public Pg. 2 School draws
lottery winner
Pg
Z North Huron looks
pg
-7 at Blooms program
Huron East mayor
• u writes report
Get ready for
.Pg. 13 summer with home
and garden section
P g. 34 Area singers get
top marks
Charges
up in
OPP
seatbelt
campaign
Huron Ontario Provincial Police
were kept busy during this year's
seatbelt campaign between April 14
and April 28, 2001.
Officers working on the campaign
stopped 12,082 vehicles compared
to 15,847 last year. Last year 203
people were fined for failing to wear
their seatbelts or to safely secure
their children.
This year 321 people were fined
with another 208 being warned for
the violation. That's more than a 50
per cent increase.
While officers were working on
enforcing traffic issues they also
issued 196 speeding tickets with
some of those speeds reaching an
excess of 100 km/h over the posted
speed limit.
Another 79 people were charged
with committing other traffic
offences beside the speeding and
seatbelt offences.
The Huron OPP laid a total of 596"
traffic violations resulting in over
$75,000 worth of fines being
collected.
"Officers are working daily at
trying to keep down the speed that
causes so many collisions in our
County and will continue to watch
for drivers not wearing their
seatbelts," said Sr. Const. Don
Shropshall.
More than 30 per cent of the
deaths that happen are a result of the
person being thrown from the
vehicle while not wearing the
seatbelt assembly.
"Please think about the safety of
your loved ones and all those others
who lives may be put at risk. Drive
slower and wear your seatbelt and
make sure your children have theirs
on as well," he said.
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
After numerous discussions and
repeated meetings with OPP
representatives, Huron . East
councillors agreed on a level of
police service for the new
municipality at the May 1 meeting.
They agreed to contract for 8.67
officers across the municipality
with the extra cost above the basic
5.1 service covered by Seaforth
ward.
In a report from the
administration, it was noted that
Seaforth ward was the most likely
recipient of benefits from the
increased coverage and should
therefore pay the extra $46,000,
above the $913,000 cost.
The decision to go with a contract
was supported, in part, by the desire
to provide the service deserved by
ratepayers and to allow council to
have more control over policing
through a police services board.
However, once that decision was
made, it became apparent that rural
municipalities would be hit harder
by policing costs because the
community Reinvestment Funds
(CRF) used to set off the prices
would now be pooled for the entire
municipality.
Grey ward would be the hardest
hit, losing a large portion of the
$735,000 in CRF - to pooling of
resources. The numbers in McKillop would
It was agreed that a re-allocation be $26,070 (down from $86,709),
of the CRF would be needed to help Tuckersmith, $57,434 ($178,233).
balance the impact of policing costs Brussels tax requirements could
and rises in taxation. increase $4,524 while Seaforth's
Rural areas will also be hit this could drop $588.
year with a jump in taxes due to a 45
The total taxes raised in the
per cent increase in farm land municipality, with current
assessments. calculations, could increase by
The CRF could be adportioned to $183,319 from $1,967.709 to
rural wards in amounts equal to the $2,181,028.
policing costs which are greater than The report also noted that savings
$90 per household.. realized due to restructuring will be
Adjustments for the allocation of partially consumed by an increased
policing costs may be made next cost for policing ($137,000), repairs
year as the areas of greatest need are to the Vanastra Recreation Complex.
determined. Grey ward could still ($65,000) and potential $50.000 for
realise an increase in taxes of economic development.
$95.879, down from $147,524 Budget deliberations will continue
before the re-allocation. over the next few weeks.
Youths hospitalized after crash
On May 6 at 8:30 p.m. Huron OPP police said. Two young males were
were notified of a single vehicle ejected from the vehicle.
collision on Brandon Road at the A 17-year-old male from Ethel and
intersection of Brussels Line an 18-year-old male from Brussels
(County Rd. 12) in Morris Twp. The were rushed to Wingham Hospital
collision occurred a short distance with serious injuries. The one youth
north of Brussels. • was later transferred to Victoria
A 1982 Oldsmobile Omega was South Street Campus in London.
westbound on Brandon Road Huron OPP is still investigating the
travelling at a high rate of speed collision and presently are uncertain
when the driver failed to stop for the who the driver of the vehicle was.
posted stop sign. The vehicle was Police said alcohol was a factor in
crossing the Brussels Line when the the collision and any person who can
vehicle went out of control and help is asked to call the Huron OPP
flipped end-over-end into the ditch, or Crime Stoppers.
HU issues
West Nile
warning
By Mark Nonkes
Citizen stuff
The Huron County Health Unit is
warning people to beware of
mosquitoes this summer.
Aside from the regular irritation of
a mosquito bite, the insects could be
carrying a deadly disease, the West
Nile Virus.
The West Nile Virus is spread by
infected mosquitoes and cannot be
spread by human contact. Symptoms
of fever, headaches, swollen lymph
nodes, skin rash and muscle aches
develop three to 12 days after a
mosquito bite. In some people,
especially the elderly, the virus
causes severe headache, high fever,
confusion, coma, and possible death.
Although the West Nile Virus is
most common in Africa, West Asia
and the Middle East, the first
outbreak in North America was in
New York City in the summer of
1999. There have been 61 confirmed
human cases of the virus and seven
deaths around New York city.
According to Craig Metzger the
resource services division manager of
the Huron County Health Unit it is
only a matter of time before the virus
hits Canada. Last summer, a bird
with West Nile Virus was found three
kilometres from the border.
A good indication that the virus is
in the area is dead birds. In fact,
Metzger said birds have fallen dead
three weeks before any human cases
were found.
"The crows and the jays are most
susceptible to dying as a result of
being bit by a mosquito carrying the
virus," Metzger said.
The health unit is asking people to
call, if they find a dead crow or blue
jay, so the bird can be investigated for
the virus. Do not touch it.
To prevent the disease people
should reduce the potential mosquito
breeding sites on their property by
getting rid of standing water.
Mosquitoes flock to garbage cans,
clogged eavestroughs, birdbaths and
old tires.
"After getting rid of containers that
are not being used, 'drain the rain'
once a week from those containers
that you must keep. Be sure to
include flower pots, pool covers, and
bird baths in your weekly 'drain the
rain' activities," said Dr. Beth
Henning, the Huron County Unit's
medical officer of health.
The health unit also suggests
people wear insect repellent, but with
five to 10 per cent DEET on children
two to 10 years old and no repellent
on children under two. It also
recommends that people stay inside
or wear long pants and sleeves in the
early morning and at dusk when
mosquitoes are most abundant, and
that door and window screens do not
have holes.
Metzger said the weather will play
a large role in how many mosquitoes
there are. "If you get rid of the
standing water so they're not
breeding right where you are living.
and it's a dry year. mosquitoes will
prefer to feed4q the birds." Metzger
said.
Watch carefully
The round of school bus safety training for new junior and senior kindergarten children has
begun. OPP Sr. Const. Don Shropshall escorts some young ladies across the road,
demonstrating the proper way to look and listen when getting off the bus, outside Blyth Public
School last Wednesday.
HE makes policing decision