HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-11-01, Page 15THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2000. PAGE 15.
Residents fire questions to mayoral candidates
Handling the questions
Mayoral candidates Keith Johnston, left, and Lynn Hoy
faced questions on everything from liquid manure handling
and bylaw enforcement to road upgrades and recreation
facility support at the Morris-Turnberry all-candidates meet
ing in Belgrave Monday evening.
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Morris-Turnberry mayoral candi
dates Keith Johnston and Lynn Hoy
were on the hot seat during the all
candidates meeting held in Belgrave
Monday evening.
During the question period which
followed introductions to all council
and school board trustee contenders,
the gathering of almost 50 residents
kept Johnston and Hoy busy
responding to questions which
ranged from road maintenance to liq
uid manure disposal.
During his introduction, Johnston
noted his seven years of experience
on Morris Twp. council, the last term
as deputy-reeve.
“The biggest challenge will be to
get Morris-Turnberry up and running
and I would like to see it blended and
grow,” he said. “We have to work as
one to succeed.”
Johnston stressed his goal to treat
all areas of the new municipality
fairly.
Because of the agricultural base in
both Morris and Tumberry, Johnston
said the continued growth of agricul
ture must be supported while consid
eration is given to protecting water
and the environment.
Long-time Wingham business
owner Lynn Hoy outlined his service
to the community. In more than 40
years of living in the area, Hoy said
he served on Tumberry council for
two terms and has been involved the
North Huron Wescast Community
Centre, the fire board and Blue vale
hall board.
He sees clean water, ambulances,
hospitals and schools as the main
issues.
After a question from Betty
Graber- Watson, Johnston informed
the audience that the Morris-
Turnberry council chambers would
be at the current Morris Twp. loca
tion.
When asked by Mary Douma
about the total population of the new
municipality and a plan B if the
province pushes for 10,000 residents,
both Hoy and Johnston said they
believed larger groups would come
eventually.
“Even if we get another term (as
Morris-Turnberry), it will be better
for us. I am not a believer of big is
better.”
Hoy said he does not see the
municipalities staying like this for
long, but would have preferred to see
them stay individual.
(Morris-Turnberry has a combined
population of approximately 3,400.)
Keith Elston questioned the poten
tial for a mega-dump in Morris.
Hoy said he did not support a
mega- dump and said the landfill site
should be left as it is to serve the
community.
Johnston agreed, adding that the
dump will hot be taking any more
waste with Tumberry’s household
waste coming in as Brussels plans to
send their waste to Exeter.
In response to a question about the
certificate of approval for the dump,
Morris Clerk-Treasurer Nancy
Michie said Brussels would stay on
the document until all arrangements
with Exeter had been completed.
There was no objection from either
candidate when asked about commit
tee input on the landfill committee.
Neither candidate was sure how
agreements would change for the
operation of recreational facilities as
the two municipalities currently con
tribute to five arenas.
North Huron has hired a recre
ational manager for Wingham,
Belgrave and Blyth arenas while
Huron East has a similar person to
oversee the Brussels arena. There
was a question of representation and
input for the operations.
Johnston said he would try to keep
all the arenas going.
Hoy stated that the Belgrave facil
ity has the same right to support as
Belmore and Brussels.
It was a similar situation with the
fire area boards as some municipali
ties seek to change coverage areas
for various fire boards.
Hoy and Johnston said adjust
ments will have to be made with
changes being considered for several
departments.
Considerable discussion was held
regarding liquid manure handling
and large-scale hog operations.
Johnston promoted a police serv
ice of possibly 10 people across the
province which would have the
power to inspect sights and imple
ment hefty fines. He also supported
the need to allow agriculture to
progress.
While Hoy said farmers had the
right to farm, he said it is far past the
time for inspections to look at these
matters.
“While building inspectors can
issue permits, council should put
their blessing on these permits before
they are issued,” he said.
Questioned on the possibility of
further paving in the municipality,
Tumberry ward council hopeful Paul
Elgie said road work is very expen
sive and it takes five years of plan
ning.
Elliott said Morris Twp. has
always tried to build up roads where
needed and pave where they could. If
returned to council, he said things
would continue as they had.
Mail-in ballots should be in
Tumberry ward council candidate
Wayne Riley said tar and chips
should be considered for some areas.
While the Morris ward council
candidates had few opportunities to
respond during the question period,
they each presented themselves and
their thoughts to the gathering.
Morris Twp. Councillor Neil
Warwick is completing his first term
on council and said it has been very
interesting and educational. During
his tenure he has served on the fire
board, North Huron Wescast
Community Complex committee and
police association.
He said he would be pleased to
continue to represent the interests of
the taxpayers.
With six years of service to Morris
Twp., Councillor Kevin Pletch has
sat on several boards and discovered
there are many things which can be
accomplished by councillors. He
likes to work for the people and
solve their problems.
He said water, waste disposal and
roads would be the main concerns of
the new council.
Incumbent Edna McLellan pointed
out her involvement on the transition
board, BMG arena board,
medical/dental board and farm and
safety association, detailing projects
completed.
Because of her work with the
arena, she stated her concern for how
Morris’s contribution to the BMG
arena would be affected by the amal
gamation of Huron East.
Current Morris Twp. Reeve Bert
Elliott, seeking a council seat, said
he hoped to serve one more term as
he has had a great education working
on the many boards over the years, in
particular at county council during
his almost six years as reeve.
“I am very fortunate that the peo
ple have given me this opportunity
and I appreciate that. I would like to
see proposals (for amalgamation)
worked out and make them happen.”
School board trustee incumbent
Colleen Schenk and challenger Jim
Floyd stated their focus for the cam
paign.
Schenk said she has a strong com
mitment to both the people that elect
ed her and to the students.
Noting that tough cecisions must
be made in the best interest of all stu
dents, Schenk said she was happy to
have served on the Ontario Public
School Board Association because
she has been able to take the rural
voice to the province. “I take that
role very seriously.”
Floyd pointed out the importance
of putting the students first above all
other issues.
Recounting a fiscal controversy
when the Avon Maitland School
Board sold the Perth County school
board offices, Floyd said the budget
has been mismanaged and the cost of
administration is too high.
He said that further closures of
schools would result in longer bus
rides for students and he did not want
that. /
On the subject of training students
for industrial jobs, Floyd said he
would like to see a program started
in area schools.
When asked about the future amal
gamation of schools, Schenk said the
board has a five-year plan in place
and an accommodation review is
completed each January.
“It would be nice to have a year
with no closures,” she said, but
added that school enrolment is drop
ping by at least two per cent each
year and the decline is causing the
problem.”
She said the board continues to
fight government policies regarding
rural and remote school boards to
increase funding for the system.
Tumberry candidates were also
given the opportunity to introduce
themselves to the crowd though a
meeting is scheduled for Nov. 2 in
Bluevale.
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CENTRAL HURON
Continued from page 14
a strategic plan is also an important
step for Ashfield-Colborne-
Wawanosh. “You have to establish
where you want to go.”
Doug Fines, of Colbome, listed
good communication skills among
the assets he would bring to the new
council. With several families in
Saltford dealing with poor water
quality, Fines said he supported an
interim control bylaw while finding a
solution to end water pollution. He
also added that he would encourage
that area schools become involved in
choosing a new name for the munic
ipality and also noted that he was in
favour of a bluebox system.
Eric Gosse, of Colbome, said he
would bring a fair voice to the new
council and would represent the
interests of the community at the
county and provincial levels when
required. He listed clean water, espe
cially to those in Saltford, as an
important issue facing the new
municipality. He noted that he is
available to the ratepayers anytime
on the phone or in person.
Mail in ballots
All electors in Ashfield-Colbome-
Wawanosh should have received
their ballots in the mail by now.
Linda Andrew, clerk-treasurer for
Ashfield and returning officer for the
election, said that if electors have not
received their ballots by Nov. 1, they
should contact her at the Ashfield
office to ensure they are on the vot
ers’ list.
Andrew also encourages electors
to return their ballots in the mail as
soon as possible. There will be no
polling stations this election and all
ballots must be received by Nov. 13
at 8 p.m.
Andrew noted that it is especially
important to get the ballots mailed in
quickly since the post office will be
closed on Nov. 11 for Remembrance
Day.
ELECT
Murray Nesbitt
Councillor of North Huron
Ward of Blyth
Come out to vote on November 13
■J
APPROACHABLE
willing to act on your concerns
MAYOR - Huron East
If you require a ride to your polling station on Nov. 13
Seaforth: 519-527-2389
Brussels: 519-887-9105
Sponsored by the committee to elect Lin Steffler