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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2001-06-13, Page 7IVES Now Open in Blyth INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. Doug Gough - Broker Visit us at: WWW.IVESINSURANCE.COM AUTO INSURANCE COMMERCIAL BUSINESS INSURANCE HOME INSURANCE COMMERCIAL AUTO INSURANCE FARM INSURANCE GREEN HOUSE INSURANCE Call Doug for all your insurance needs LONG HAUL TRUCKING SPECIALIST • • Tel: (519) 523-9655 184 Dinsley Street West, Blyth New executive The Blyth Legion Ladies Auxiliary executive for the coming year are, in back, from left: Sandra Elliott, treasurer and Edythe Glousher, executive committee. In the middle: Bernice Pierce, Sergeant at Arms; Connie Shiell, executive committee and Brenda Finlayson, secretary. In front: Val Pethick, vice-president; Janice Henry, president and Mildred Ament past president. Debbie Stryker, sports; Erlene Caldwell, second vice-president and Kay Hesselwood, execu- tive committee were absent. (Mark Nonkes photo) to 4. SO PO THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2001. PAGE 7. Paving of ambulance site sparks more debate at county By Bonnie Gropp Citizen stuff The hot topic at county council has for some time been ambulance serv- ice and things boiled up at the June 7 session when the issue of paving at the Seaforth-Clinton interim station was again on the agenda. Back in December the county had indicated by letter that the site would be paved for safety and maintenance reasons. However, council later decided that paving a temporary sta- tion was unnecessary. On Thursday, councillors were told the landowner's solicitor had con- tacted them saying the letter had promised paving would be done by no later than May 31, 2001 and pro- ceedings would begin for eviction. The solicitor Mr. Ottewell said his client would, however, extend the deadline for paving to the end of June. Feeling that the cost of fighting eviction and finding another interim site would be more than the $10,000 in the budget to pave, the agriculture, public works and seniors committee recommended the county extend the lease and pave the site. South Huron Councillor Rob Morley expressed his frustration with this turn of events. "I feel as if I've been had. There are a lot of things county council has not been kept up to speed on or we wouldn't be making motions, then the next month making countermotions." Dave Urlin. also of South Huron backed up his colleague saying that while the paving was in the original lease it was not in the second one presented by county engineer Sandra Lawson. Urlin said that when the landowner refused to sign, he was asked by Lawson what could be done to make it a go. The letter from December was the result. "The previous council was not told the truth and this council has been snowballed from day one." said Urlin. Huron East Councillor Lin Steftler said she remembers that it took some time for councillors to get copies of the lease and that the one she had did not include paving. She questioned on whose authority Lawson had writ- ten the letter promising that the paving would be done. Administrator Lynn Murray explained that because the old coun- cil was still in place and because of the health and safety issue, the letter had come from then warden Carol Mitchell, Lawson and herself. She added that she believed this was the story council has always been told. "I believe too we've been snow- balled." said Steftler. Paul Klopp, a councillor for Bluewater, said the solicitor had said when the first copy of the lease agreement came, he wrote in that paving was to be included and sent it back to the county solicitor. "Then on Nov. 29 the engineer came in with the leaSe and Ottewell said they for- got to put in the asphalt." According to Klopp, Lawson said that couldn't be done as there was a $2,000 cap on the budget. Questioning why the solicitor did- n't include this in the lease, Klopp suggested a meeting to get some answers. "We are all going to have to explain this to our constituents. It's a serious issue." Mitchell, a councillor for Central Huron, visibly annoyed, responded, "This council has repeatedly heard about the health and safety concerns. Because this comes from staff you won't believe it. The old council had an understanding." She went on to say that it' council- lors were so concerned about taxpay- ers' money they might consider the liability issue. `This (argument) has been only to score political points." Steffler questioned whether there is a regulation anywhere stating that the drive to a station must be paved. "If there is I'd like a copy." Noting that council is probably legally committed to proceed, Urlin reminded councillors that there was a motion before them. However, he wondered if a personnel committee and the solicitor should be asked to look more closely at what happened. Goderich Councillor John Doherty expressed his frustration saying "I don't understand what the commo- tion's about. Your committee did a motion that was carried." Ben Van Diepenbeek, councillor for Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, asking Klopp where he got his infor- mation, said it was never discussed at committee that the lease be signed before Mitchell's term ended and he didn't recall anything about a cap. Klopp said the words had come from the solicitor. Before the recorded vote, Steffler expressed concern over the wording which said the extension could be as long as required by the county, as the temporary use bylaw passed by Huron East may expire. The motion carried 13-5 with Klopp, Steftler, Morley, Goderich's Deb Shewfelt and A-C-W Councillor Neil Rintoul opposed. Two earlier motions regarding the ambulance stations had also raised some debate. Klopp, who had voted in committee against the recommen- dation that county purchase property for the Seaforth-Clinton station and explore a joint purchase for /South Huron's station, explained his rea- sons. He noted that many residents, even from outside his riding, had approached him about the rationale of building a facility when one already existed. The motion to purchase the Van Dooren property at $36,000 at the corner of Hwy 8 and the Kinburn Line, and the motion for the county and South Huron to look at purchas- ing 1.9 acres for an ambulance site and a sand/salt storage facility passed, the latter despite Morley's comment that South HUron is no longer interested in building a stor- age dome. Brussels councillor says people don't want officer Continued from page 1 in countless hours, he said. Brussels ward Councillor Greg Wilson voted in favour of the cheap- est option. He was told that people in the area don't want an offi- cer. 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