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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2001-07-11, Page 6Help for Today. Hope for Tomorrow. Today, I in 13 Canadians over 65 is affected by Alzheimer Disease and related dementias: For more information, contact your local Alzheimer Society or visit our Web site at www.alzheimer.ca AlzheimerSociety • Canadian Study of Health and Aging Canadian Community Newspapers Association ENA newspapers right in your backyard Graduation Laurie and Marg Black, R.R. #5 Brussels, are pleased to announce the graduation of their daughter, Lorie Ann, from the University of Guelph, June 8, 2001 with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, Honours Program. Lorie Ann is currently employed at Strybos Associates Ltd., Mississauga. Congratulations Lorie Ann. From Mom, Dad & Susie. • PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 2001. Huron to hire ambulance operations manager Huron County will hire an opera- tions manager for its ambulance service but the idea of making the service a separate department was narrowly turned down by a 9-7 council vote, Thufsday. Led by Dave Urlin, councillor for South Huron, several councillors argued strenuously that the ambu- lance service should be a separate department rather than reporting to the county engineer as at present. Urlin argued the manager would have a staff of 45-50 full-time employees and therefore should have a department that reported directly to the agriculture, public works and seniors committee. Accurate figures on the current state of Huron County's livestock population won't be known until results are released from the recent farm census but building permits in the past five years indicate the ani- mal population has soared, a county study says. Scott Tousaw from the county planning department, told county council Thursday that 400 building permits for new or expanded live- County council briefs What's more, Urlin argued, if the proper person was hired as manager, (s)lie could provide the detailed sta- tistical analysis on the ambulance service for which it was being pro- posed to hire a consultant. Rob Morley, from South Huron agreed, saying if he was the manag- er he'd be upset if he saw four levels of bosses above him (the engineer, county administrator, committee and county council). But Carol Mitchell of Central Huron, past warden, warned that making the ambulance service a sep- arate department might mean other areas like social housing should also be separate departments. stock barns holding more than 100 animal units (animals producing the equivalent of the manure from one cow) were issued over the five year period, the equivalent of one every 10 days. The building boom result- ed in space for an extra 58,000 ani- mal units tone animal unit, for instance, equals five feeder pigs), Tousaw said, but there's no way of knowing how much of this replaced older barns now out of production. "If you change to a department head status it alters everything in the county. If we find out it (the pro- posed structure) doesn't work, we can look at it then." Jon Hambides, the consultant hired to help plan the ambulance service, said if a separate department was set up it would likely mean hir- ing more staff. The head of the department would have enough administrative work that an assistant would likely be required as opera- tions manager. Generally if you have a separate department you need more employ- ees, he said. Once the controversial proposal to Huron's livestock population had declined until 1991 with the reduc- tion of much of the beef herd and the number of dairy producers. Since then the number of animals has grown. Based on 1996 census figures Grey and Howick Twps. had the highest livestock density at .66 live- stock units per improved acre of farmland with the rest of the north- ern and central parts of the county make the manager be a department head was turned down, councillors turned their attention to a motion to call for proposals for a two-year fur- ther study of the statistics of the ambulance service's operations. Lynn Murray, clerk administrator explained that the consultant would do work the administrator of the service wouldn't be able to do at first. "It's statistical analysis," she explained. The consultant would set up a template ifito which the manager could plug figures in subsequent years to be able to analyze how the system was performing, he said. Mitchell pleaded with councillors running at .33 to .45 units per acre. The size of the barns has swelled in the past five years. In 1996, for instance, the average building per- mit for a barn in Ashfield was less than 100 animal units. In 2000 it had swelled to 450 animal units. Tousaw said the county is await= ing comments from farm groups on the study and will likely create a model nutrient management bylaw for local municipalities to adopt. not to turn down a study, even if it meant cutting it back to one year instead of two. "We really don't have enough figures," she said of the information available in assessing the ambulance service's operations. When other councillors zeroed in on the one-year suggestion, Mitchell said she'd support it if Hambides was retained to carry on his work. Calling for proposals and perhaps hiring someone different to do the study would mean a great deal of time was lost and work was repeat- ed, she said. A motion to retain Hambides' company was passed by a 12-4 count. The province's Nutrient Management Act 2001 won't likely come into effect too quickly and the local bylaw will be needed in the short run, he said. Tousaw predicted the Nutrient Management Act will change the rules and responsibilities for farmers in a substantial way. Until the regu- lations are announced, however, it won't be known how much things will change. Livestock population in Huron soars Huron County plans to host water summitt this summer Huron County will host a "water summit" organized by the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation this summer. Feature speakers will deal with topics related to water quality along the Lake Huron shoreline at the Aug. 11 meeting at the Goderich District Collegiate Institute. The Huron County Planning and Development Department and Huron Stewardship Council All take part. *** An offer to purchase has been accepted for an ambulance station located across from Goderich's Alexandra Marine and General Urban Huron County residents aren't being told to destroy weeds unless they're harmful to other humans and that had some rural councillors upset at Huron County council, July 5. "We should look at noxious weeds wherever they are," said Rob Morley of South Huron. Despite a complaint to the Ministry of Environment about "noise pollution", Huron County will continue its use of rumble strips to warn motorists of upcoming inter- sections. The noise complaint was launched by a group of residents at St. Joseph who had originally taken their com- plaints to the county's agriculture and public works committee last fall after the strips were installed on County Rd. 84 at the intersection of Hwy. 21. Unsatisfied with the coun- ty's decision not to remove the strips, they had complained to the Ministry of Environment which said it was not in a position to request the county correct the situation. Area residents Gary Regier, Frank Van Aiken and Tony Denomme then attended the June 13 committee meeting to renew their complaints. However, a letter from Gary Martin, commander of Huron Detachment of the OPP, supported their continued Hospital. The county will pay $45,000 for a half-acre property on which to build a new ambulance sta- tion. The county has also made an opening offer for a property for the Exeter ambulance station. *** Ben Van Diepenbeek, councillor for Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh announced he will seek the warden's chair at county council this fall. So far he is the only announced candi- date. *** There has been no approval at this point for the county's application to Morley was responding to an explanation from Sandra Lawson, county engineer and chief weed inspector, who explained that only three weeds on the county's list of 24 noxious weeds are being ordered destroyed if they are in urban areas away from the vicinity of farmland. Lawson said the province's chief use. The county decided to continue to use the strips, which were first installed on County Rd. 1 at Auburn in 1974. However staff was instruct- ed to explore ways to reduce the noise level and bring the issue back to the committee for review. Paul Klopp, councillor for Bluewater, sided with the local resi- dents, saying he felt the strips at the St. Joseph's intersection could be removed safely. Joe Hogan, South Huron council- lor wondered if the number of strips could be reduced, pointing out this was a T-intersection which was less likely for someone to drive through. But Sandra Lawson said the cur- rent policy is to have standard rum- ble strips across the county. "We've found this is the best way to identify the intersection." Check out The Citizen's WEBSITE at www.northhuron.on.ca the province's Healthy Futures grant program. The county has designed a program to get a lump sum of money to be distributed to farmers for envi- ronmental improvement projects. *** The county will continue to work with the Huron County Federation of Agriculture to try to convince the provincial government to change policies which are leading to large increases in property taxes on farms and residential properties. Under provincial regulations tax increases to commercial and industrial proper- ties have been capped meaning farm and residential properties are pick- weed inspector had recommended only weeds such as poison ivy and ragweed which were injurious to humans be banned in urban areas. "Some people in Goderich have wild life gardens that contain nox- ious weeds," she explained. But Morley objected. "I have a concern that not all noxious weeds ing up a larger share of funding municipal programs. As well, recent market value assessment of farm- land has increased the market value. The county and federation are ask- ing the province to recalculate the Community Reinvestment Fund allocation to rural areas to reflect the increase in market value assessment. *** There was a 15.66 per cent decrease in the number of cases han- dled by the county's social services" department between April 2000 and April 2001. The number of benefici- aries declined even more dramatical- ly, by 18.39 per cent. are being look at," he said. "Weeds on lakeshore lots could blow onto farm fields." He was supported by Keith Johnston of Motris-Turnberry who said he'd heard many complaints from farmers who spend thousands of dollars to control weeds then see them growing on the roadsides. *** A recommendation to fund sup- plies the Blyth and District Fire Department's first response service was deferred by the agriculture, pub- lic works and seniors committee while other departments are contact- ed to see if they want to participcie in all or any part of the proposal. Under the proposal the Blyth department. would be compensated for the oxygen, supplies and equip- ment through the present county ambulance suppliers. With the downloading of ambulance to the county, the department, the only one in the county to offer a first response service, had been left to pick up these costs themselves. Councillor objects to weed control differences Rumble strips to remain for now