HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2002-08-28, Page 1Life line
Don Crawford took his place on the cot as dozens of people gathered at Brussels, Morris and
Grey Community Centre, Aug. 20 to make a donation to the Canadian Blood Services, Carol
Estabrooks had the task of drawing Crawford's blood. (Janice Becker photo)
Deputy-Reeve questions
handling of legal bill
inside this week
Exchange student Pg. 6 sees Brazil
Pg. 7
Pg. 8
Youth spends
summer in Finland
Area man gets Hall
of Fame nod
Plowing match /, Pg. results
Innkeepers move
Pg. 22 head office to
Brussels storefront
e Citizen
Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County
Volume 18 No. 33
Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2002
75 Cents (70c + 5c GST)
Brussels
will
hold
Terry
Fox Run
By.BOnnie Gropp
Citizen editor
Brussels will be hosting a Terry
Fox Run this year.
At the end of the 2001 event,
organizer Waneta Leishman was left
feeling somewhat frustrated by the
decreasing attendance. She asked for
input from area residents as to
whether or not they were interested
in seeing the run continue and
received only one call.
Despite that, however, the bottom
line has inspired Leishman to
organize run for 2002. "1 maybe
didn't get any feedback, but we
brought in $5,000 last year. How can
we ignore that? And if we don't do a
run here, people aren't going to
travel to Wingham to take part.
They're just not."
This year's event, to be held
Sunday, Sept. 15, will begin at 10
a.m. Details regarding where
registration would be had not been
finalized by press time, however, it is
hoped that it can be held at the arena.
Pledge sheets will soon be
available from the post office, the
variety store, JR's, the liquor store
and the Thrift Shop. They can also
be downloaded from the Terry Fox
Foundation website at
www.terryfoxrun.org.
West
Nile
found in
Seaforth
Clinton
The Huron County Health Unit
was notified Monday that two more
crows have tested positive for the
West Nile Virus (WNV). The crows
were submitted for testing on Aug. 7
from the town of Goderich and on
Aug. 8 from the town of Seaforth.
The Huron County Health Unit
will no longer collect crows found
in Clinton. Goderich, or Seaforth,
due to confirmed WNV activity
within these areas. However,
residents in these towns and other
areas of Huron County are still
asked to report any dead crows to
the Health Unit by calling 482-
3416. These sightings will be
recorded and may provide
additional information on WNV
activity within the County.
These findings emphasize the
need to take precautions against
mosquitoes. "Avoiding mosquito
bites and reducing areas of standing
water where mosquitoes breed are
steps all Huron County residents
hold be taking," says Dr. Beth
Henning, medical officer of health.
"The risk of becoming seriously
ill from WNV is very low," she
adds, however. The majority of
people who become infected, with
the virus will have no symptoms at
all or will experience a mild illness
such as fever, headache, or body
aches.
People over the age of 50 years
are most at risk and should seek
immediate medical attention if they
develop the following symptoms:
- extreme swelling or infection at
the site of the mosquito bite
- stiff neck
- severe headache
- muscle weakness
- sudden sensitivity to light
- confusion
West Nile Virus is spread to
humans through the bite of an
infected mosquito. Mosquitoes get
the virus by -feeding on infected
birds. The virus is not transmitted
from person to person or from bird
to person.
For more information about West
Nile Virus, contact the Health Unit
at 519-482-3416 or check the
website at www.srhip.on.ca/hch
By David Blaney
Special to The Citizen
Echoes from Huron East's fight
with the Avon Maitland Board of
Education over school closures were
heard in council on August 20.
Deputy Mayor Bernie MacLellan
had some pointed questions and
comments over the way the matter
was handled.
The council at its July 30 meeting
had approved the payment of legal
bills for $8,947.79 beyond the
amount originally budgeted by
council for the school closure fight.
Of this amount $7,500 was a court
award to the board.
MacLellan, who was not present at
the meeting where the decision was
approved, made it clear that he was
unhappy with the manner in which
the matter was resolved.
Repeatedly using the words "due
process" MacLellan closely
questioned staff about the resolution
and the steps taken by council during
the legal battle over the Seaforth
high school.
He also indicated he would have
liked to ask Mayor Lin Sterner some
questions about council's actions but
indicated that he wouldn't bring
them up at this time as "the mayor
(who was attending a conference)
wasn't here to defend herself."
He said he felt he had agreement
from the council to canvass the
ratepayers prior to the original
$20,000 being spent.
He went on to say, "Mr. Leach (the
council lawyer) had said the $10,000
in the (citizens committee) fund was
ample to cover the first stage in
Toronto.
When the fund was drained•
council would pay and that would
give us a short window of
opportunity to go back to the
ratepayers."
Several councillors had expressed
this very same conviction at the July
30 where the extra funds had been
approved. Councillor Joe Seili
explained to MacLellan, "I was
under the same impression, but we
never made it a motion."
Clerk Jack McLachlan said that
the matter had been presented to
council as soon as possible. He
indicated the approval of the extra
funding was "treated as a special
resolution because it was not
budgeted for."
McLachlan also pointed out that
the bulk of the extra money was not
for legal fees but rather for a court-
mandated award to the school
board.
When MacLellan contended there
was a possibility of further bills the
clerk said he was under the
impression they had received the
final invoice and was unaware of
any others.
Although council eventually went
on to its regular agenda MacLellan
did not appear to be completely
happy. His final comment about the
matter was, "It left a bad taste in my
mouth."
Office open Mon.
Logan man to be sentenced
Oct. 21 on trespass charge
With the arrival of Labour Day
comes the unofficial end of summer.
Not seeing anything to celebrate in
that, the staff at The Citizen will be
staying on the job.
While the Brussels office will be
closed Monday, Sept. 2, items for
inclusion in the Sept. 4 newspaper
can be slipped under the door for
pickup at noon.
The Blyth office will remain
open. but deadlines for advertising
and editorial copy must be
submitted there as well by noon.
Have a safe and happy holiday
weekend.
A Logan Twp: man was convicted
of trespaSsing by night, at Provincial
Court in Goderich, Aug. I9, after a
May IS incident at an Ethel home.
Bradley Priestap, 37, was charged
after a woman living at the Grey
Ward, Huron East home spotted a
man in the victim's yard.
The victim left the house and saw
a person in the shadows who
appeared to be watching the
home.
After begin confronted by the
victim, the suspect gave a story of
explanation and fled.
Neighbours saw the male enter a
vehicle and made note of the licence
plate number.
The same man was seen in the
vicinity of the victim's home again
later that night.
The OPP were called.
Priestap will be sentenced Oct.
21