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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-11-15, Page 1Volume 16 No. 45 Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2000 75 Cents (70c + 5c gst) Inside this week Huron FOA holds all-candidates debate Kemp opens campaign office Area hockey teams improve records D 1 z Christmas Bureau rg. 10 drop-offs open Dec. 4-8 Jubilee tribute comes to Blyth Residents want service By Janice Becker Citizen staff The response may not have been what they were seeking when Brussels residents took their concerns regarding the level of service to the Huron East transition board last Thursday. Led by Brussels Councillor Greg Wilson, the group questioned the board and new works manager John Forrest about the frequency of sidewalk clearing during winter months as well as removal of banks along the roadways. In a phone interview Monday, Forrest said the clearing of snow from the streets, which is contracted, and the sidewalks would remain unchanged. With the new structure of the municipality, there are to be two work stations in Huron East, one in Tuckersmith and one in Grey. A works foreman will oversee the operations and the road superintendent will allocate jobs to be completed with regards to snow removal. Tuckersmith will have a lead hand as well as foreman because that end of the municipality will be responsible for maintenance in three urban areas, said Forrest. His understanding of the concerns of Brussels residents is that the number of hours currently accumulated within Brussels cannot be accomplished by one part-time person. “I don’t expect the hours to change. We will bring in a crew to do the job,” said Forrest. He did concede that one change for Brussels will be that piles of snow left behind from sidewalk blowing and street clearing will not be removed first thing each day. “The piles wfil be removed when the men come in from clearing all the roads,” as directed by the Continued on page 6 Municipal election 2000 Many long-time incumbents fall Many long-time municipal politicians were defeated when residents went to the polls Monday evening. In North Huron, Wingham Councillor Doug Layton was elected mayor with 1,238 votes, defeating current Wingham Mayor-Bruce Machan’s 682. The Blyth Ward voted for Layton 270 to 151 over Machan while East Wawanosh was split 262 for Layton and 105 for Machan. For the Blyth ward, Councillors Jeff Howson (350) and Murray Nesbitt (241) beat out incumbent Reeve Mason Bailey (226). In East Wawanosh, Murray Scott accumulated 315 and James Campbell, 276, to win the council seats. Judith Gaunt had 118. Councillors for the Wingham ward will be Archie MacGowan (752) and Arnold Taylor (748). Allan Harrison came in with 578. For the Municipality of Huron East Seaforth Reeve Lin Steffler edged out long-time Grey Twp. politician and current Reeve Robin Dunbar in a close vote with the final tally at 1782 to 1578. In Brussels, Dunbar received 166 votes from Poll 1, 147 from Poll 2 and 40 at the advance poll for a 355 to 101 edge over Steffler’s numbers at 53-41-7. Grey Twp. supported Dunbar with 381 votes to Steffler’s 117. By poll results were: Poll 1, 71-21; Poll 2, 132-28; Poll 3, 93-27 and Poll 4, 85- 41. McKillop Twp, residents cast their votes for Steffler with 280 (91-117- 72). Dunbar received 162 (61-47- 54). Seaforth’s votes went to Steffler with 762 over Dunbar’s 175. Steffler took the vote in Tuckersmith by a slim margin, edging Dunbar 522 to 505. For deputy-mayor, Brussels ward voted 248 in favour of Bernie MacLellan (129-102-17). Tuckersmith Reeve Bob Broadfoot received 110 and McKillop Reeve Bill Siemon 74. Grey Twp. also backed MacLellan with 238 votes (54-95-46-43) with 110 going to Broadfoot and 74 to Siemon. Siemon earned 233 ballots in McKillop (104-64-65) with Broadfoot getting 127 and MacLellan 84. Seaforth backed Broadfoot with Walton folk invest in community By Janice Becker Citizen staff A group of Walton-area residents and business owners banded together to preserve Walton Public School as a vit^l part of the community. When the Avon Maitland District School Board auctioned off the closed school, Nov. 8, Graeme Craig, bidding on behalf of a group of eight, stepped forward with an offer of $117,000 to retain control of the building in the hamlet. 477 votes to just 296 for MacLellan and 139 for Siemon. Tuckersmith supported Maclellan with 566 votes giving him the win with a total of 1,432 over challengers Broadfoot (1,211) and Siemon (651). Incumbent Councillors Greg Wilson and Joe Seili won the seats for the ward. Wilson took 318 votes (159-140-19) to Seili’s 264 (130- 119-15). Reeve Ralph Watson received 245 votes. Winning council seats for the Grey ward were current Deputy-Reeve Alvin McLellan with 379 (65-123- 89-90, 12 at advance poll) and Councillor Graeme MacDonald with 306 (62-87-66-76-15). Dale Newman received 188 votes. Seaforth councillors will be Dick Burgess and Bill Teall. Tuckersmith councillors will be Bill DeJong (653) and Larry McGrath (584). In Morris-Turnberry, Morris Deputy-Reeve Keith Johnston took the mayoral seat by a slim margin, 715-671, over Lynn Hoy. In polls one through five and the advance poll, Johnston’s numbers in the Ward T were 75-94-30-60-10-13 and in Ward M, 75-83-122-126-8- 19. Hoy's vote totals in Ward T were 138-78-55-72-20-33 and in Ward M, 54-62-83-52-15-9. In the race for Ward M Councillors Kevin Pletch earned 510 (88-110- 164-109-15-24), Edna Me- Lellan to 498 (87-111-150-112-17-21) and Neil Warwick received 474 (86-106- 123-132-11-16). Morris Twp. Reeve Bert Elliott garnered just 336 votes. Councillors for Tumberry will be Bill Thompson (500), Jim Nelemans (469) and Wayne Riley (352). William Paul Elgie received 343 votes. For Central Huron, Carol Mitchell was returned as reeve, topping Clinton Mayor Ron MacKay 1,431 to 955. Bert Dykstra was decisively chosen as deputy-reeve, earning 1,305 votes over John Bezaire’s 683 and Hullett Reeve Bob Szusz’s 597. Councillors for Ward 2, Hullett Twp will be Councillors Marg Anderson with 397 and Tom Duizer with 337. Doug Hugill received 280 and Bruce Bergsma, 177. Laurie Cox and Alison Lobb will represent Ward 1, Goderich Twp. and Darren Stevenson and Bill Colquhoun will sit for Ward 3, Clinton. “It is a group of community supporters who pulled this together 20 minutes before the auction,” said Craig. They agreed the building should remain for the use of Walton and the surrounding area. Though the eventual use of the building has not yet been determined, Craig said there will be a business component. The possibility for meetings or recreational, activities will also be considered, but Craig stressed it will not be in competition with Walton Hall. In the Municipality of Ashfield- Colborne-Wawanosh, Ben Van- diepenbeek was elected reeve with 1,684 votes. West Wawanosh Reeve Doug Miller received 1,109 and Bonnie Lafontaine took 790. For the Wawanosh ward, councillors Neil Rintoul (455) and Kevin Shiels (442) were elected. Deputy-Reeve Walter Elliott Voting for the future Mae Ritchie of Blyth was among the first voters to visit the Blyth polling station at the Bainton Gallery Monday morning as residents from across the county decided on representation for the newly amalgamated municipalities. “It will enhance the services provided by Walton and life in the community,” he said. “Small towns need a kick and we want to make sure the building is used, is a success and a benefit to the surrounding community.” It is expected further plans will be announced in the next couple months. Four other AMDSB facilities, all closed in the last year and a half, were auctioned the same day. Atwood Public School sold for $100,000; Vanastra Community School. $105,000; McCurdy Public garnered 375. Councillors for Colborne Ward will be Eric Goose and Doug Fines with Marilyn Miltenburg and Connie Black representing Ashfield. The Northeast District trustee for the Avon Maitland District School Board was overwhelming selected to be Colleen Schenk, 2,888 to 984, over Jim Floyd. School, $ 127,500 and Falstaff Public in Stratford, $630,000. In a release from the board, it was stated that the closures were the “result of a difficult decision to maximize local education funding in the classroom rather than to maintain surplus buildings in the face of declining enrollment.” The monies attained due to the auctions are to be used for facility upgrades jAvhich have been on hold due to funding restraints as well as permit other upgrades required by the new curriculum.