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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2002-05-01, Page 22On the road again!! From the band that brought you the heart-warming Don Messer Tribute comes their all new show - enlOttteg et Western Swinghi and Country Sin gin * OLD TIME AND FANCY SWING TUNES by Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion Scott Woods * GOLDEN OLDIE WESTERN SONGS by talented singer Tom Leadbeater and the band *FAVOURITE GUITAR INSTRUMENTALS by East Coast Music Award Winner Bruce Timmins APPEARING Memorial Hall, Blyth Tuesday, May 7 at 2 pm for tickets call 1-877-862-5984 GOOD HUMOUR, NOSTALGIA AND WESTERN WARMTH Carlson Wagonlit Ellison Travel cordially invites you to our PRINCESS CRUISE PRESENTATIONS Huron County Museum (Goderich) May 2, 2002 - 7pm to 9pm Ellison Travel Office (Exeter) May 4. 2002 - 9am to 12pm 915am - Panama Canal 10am - Alaska 11 am - Caribbean PRINCESS CRUISE SALE May 4-11, 2002 Please R.S.V.P. to: Carlson Wagonlit Ellison Travel (519) 524-8692 or 1-877-847-1272 - Goderich (519) 235-2000 or 1-800-265-7022 - Exeter FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2002 8:00 p.m. at the Heritage Theatre in the WINGHAM TOWN HALL ABBA Mania StealAwt /461/Le e• THE BEE GEES - "If you liked Mamma Mia, you'll love Abba Mania!" "Closest thing to Abba anyone has ever seen" from the cast of Mamma Mia "Unbelievable" - Ottawa Citizen "Vocally Superb" - Toronto Sun "Amazing Show" - Globe & Mail Tickets available at the Box Office (519) 357-4082 $27. PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2002. Lack of reserves challenges Huron E. council By David Blaney Citizen staff The Huron East council has fin- ished with. its budget for the time being but the real question may be is the budget finished with the council. A recurring theme of budget dis- cussions has been a lack of dedicat- ed reserves. At the present moment the municipality has put no money away for major capital purchases. Waiting on the horizon are such items as road equipment and new fire trucks. With pumpers costing up to $250.000, trying to find the money in a single year would result in a huge tax increase. Bringing the matter into sharp focus is the current fire agreement with the Hensall Fire Department. The agreement states that Huron East will fund 25 per cent of the department's budget in return for fire protection in the south west of the new municipality. Clerk-Administrator Jack McLachlan informed council that the Hensall department is preparing to purchase a new truck. He noted At the Branch By Jo-Ann McDonald The week started at the Brussels Legion Branch with the executive meeting on Monday evening, Comrade Anita Little was initiated prior to the meeting. Details of the upcoming elections and other Branch business was discussed. • The Thursday night darts are wind- ing down and the next two weeks are a fun night and the wrap up fun party night. The Friday night supper crowd enjoyed meatloaf and broasted pota- toes. This Friday night will be turkey. Comrade Mabel Glanville reports that the Service Officer Randy Groundwater will be in the area in June, but she needs to know by May 15, if anyone wishes an appointment with him. Call her at 887-9086 after 5 p.m. The Saturday afternoon euchre had nine tables at play. The lucky win- ning couple was Gord and Louise Bosman with 79 points. Coming in second was Bob and Dorothy Dalton with 72 points and right behind with approval of that budget by Bluewater means that Huron East will need to find approximately $60,000 to pay its share of the bill. As councillors Joe Seili and.Alvin McLellan observed at a recent meet- ing, this is coming at a time when Huron East can't find money to pur- chase a truck for themselves. Treasurer Brad Knight also com- mented that no reserves have been dedicated to bridge repairs and min- imal maintenance has been done on the municipality's numerous bridges recently. Council originally looked at ded- icating money received from aggre- gate levies for this purpose. However in an attempt to lower this year's tax bite council agreed with the treasurer's suggestion td'return the money to general revenues. While councillors have awknowl- edged the problem exists they have. not officially established a method of dealing with the issue. Prior to discovering the size of the tax increas: Deputy-Mayor Bernie MacLellan had suggested adding one or two per cent to the municipal levy to deal with the situation. 71 points was Marjorie Smith and Vera Ahrens. The lucky lone hand winners were Eileen Mann and George Ingalls. Several members of the Branch attended the District sports meeting in Walkerton. Comrades Glenn Bridge, Gary Dauphin and Eric Ross were there. The Sunday night singles dance crowd enjoyed the music of Southridge Sound. Thanks to all who are returning their silent auction pledge sheets so quickly. Don't forget the spring fash- ion show this Sunday at 2 p.m. The Ladies Auxiliary meeting is Monday evening May 6 at 8 p.m. They have banquets coming up and will need extra help. Call Helen Dobson for the dates and volunteer for the day. The month of April is over and our many thanks to all the members who have helped out at the many events. The new May group ison duty now with some extras, with Captain Sandra Josling. We will look forward to seeing The idea disappeared during later budget discussions as councillors faced the reality of large increases to cover current financial pressures. Mayor Lin Steffler suggested, "I think what council has decided is to go with 10 per cent (municipal tax increase), with the idea that the 10 per cent may be an ongoing situa- tion." Councillor Larry McGrath pointed to known problems on the horizon which may make this solution prob- lematic next year. According to Knight the holiday on municipal contributions to the employee's pen- sion fund will likely end next year. This holiday saved the municipality approximately $24,000 in- the 2002 budget. McGrath also noted the issue of provincially mandated pay equity is coming to a head and no one is sure exactly what extra costs this will entail. As always inflation can be expected to add a few percentage points to any budget increase. Statements at council over the last several meetings make it clear many councillors believe they have reached the point where little more Gail Semple, Randy White, Margo Richardson, Nancy Wright, Mike Dauphin, Ross Knight, Doreen Rutledge, Lloyd Glanville, Eugene Janes, Charlie Proctor and Murray Lowe. can be cut from the budget without actually cutting services. As Councillor Joe Seili pointed out, no councillor wants to return to ratepay- ers with a budget which both raises taxes and cuts services. This feeling is not universal how- ever, and Seaforth ward Councillors Dick Burgess and Bill Teall have suggested there are items in the budget worthy of closer examina- , prin. Teall went as far as to say, "If this is a bare bones budget we can't afford to run this municipality." Steffler pointed out one possible bright spot in the expensive area of policing. Recent government deci- sions mean that it is allowable to have different levels of poliCing in one municipality. Area municipalities are also dis- cussing the possible savings result- ing from a county-wide contract with the OPP. Mixed darts winding down