HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-09-30, Page 1The Citizen
Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County
Volume 20 No. 38
Thursday, Sept. 30, 2004
$1 (93c + 7c GST)
Inside this week
• in Brussels Fall Fair
g,• iu results
• 2 Salute to area
rs,. -1-.7 firefighters begins
14,,, Walkerburn Club
Fg. Io marks 85th
1),
8•
HurPn men get
1 . 17 scholarships
P 1.7 Plenty of laughs in
g. / Avon's 'Noises'
HE does
budget
review
By Elyse DeBruyn
Citizen staff
At the Sept. 22 meeting, Huron
East council prepared themselves
for the Grey ward budget review to
be held Sept. 28.
Huron East clerk-administrator
lack McLachlan gave council a
brief update on the power-point
presentation that was made to
citizens in Grey Twp. during the this
past Tuesday's public meeting.
.The meeting is to answer
questions rasied by an informal
group with concerns about services
since amalgamation.
Councillor Mark Beaven said a
firm plan should be in place before
the meeting so council "is not just
flying by the seat of our pants."
The total Huron, East budget is
$9,939,660 and to understand it, the
expenses have to be broken down
into three categories.
The first is $2,770,880 in user fee
'cervices which includes Brussels,
Seaforth/Egmondville, Vanastra and
Brucefield waste systems. There are
total expenditures of $1,320,000,
but there is no impact on the Huron
East tax rate as users of the system
are fully responsible for all costs.
Users of the sewage systems in
Brussels, Seaforth and Vanastra are
responsible for all costs. Municipal
drainage is also completely user pay
at $205,800.
The second category is area-rated
services, which are specific to a
ward (township) or part of a ward.
These services form part of the tax
rate for the ward or are within the
ward.
These services include streetlights
costing $83,500, waste management
costs of $269,450, partial policing
costs of $616,824 and a BIA which
costs $28,000.
The third category is general
municipal services which is
everything not user fees or area
Continued on page 6
Under clear skies and beautiful
temperatures, the annual Brussels Fall
Fair was another success.
Ann Huffman, fair board secretary,
said it was a well-attended "great
fair" this year with one of the best
parades yet and a very successful
silent auction, which replaced the live
auction of homemade pies and
canning. -
. "We (the fair board) thought we'd
try something different this year
which turned out to be a big success,"
said Huffman.
The auction had everything from
woodworking pieces to -handmade
items, which were donated from fair
board directors and other fair
supporters.
A total of just over $2,000 was
raised through the silent auction,
more than doubling what was raised
during last year's pie auction.
"We were really pleased. It was our
main fundraiser this year," said
Huffman.
Another first this year that was not
only enjoyable, but also well
attended, were the funny clowns with
their music and magic show,
sponsored by fair board members
Joan and David Perrie.
A number of clowns made balloon
creations, painted children's faces,
making them laugh and have an
enjoyable time at the fair.
A lot of kids got their groove on as
they took to the floor and began
dancing.
The beef and sheep shows were
another successful event and
Huffman said all the participants did a
"great job.",
The women of the area are well
known for their delicious homemade
pies, which were enjoyed by all those
who attended the food booth or snack
bar, Huffman said.
"Audrey Cardiff and Bessie
Johnston did a great deal of work with
their helpers to make the food booths
successful. Everyone did a wonderful
job. It was pretty hot and busy in the
kitchen but everything was fresh and
delicious. Everyone was happy with
the food."
Another bonus for the fair board
was that donations at the front
entrance of the fair were up, which
Huffinan said attributes to Alice
Brothers who sat at the door most of
the day on Wednesday.
"She knows a lot of people and was
reminding them that donations were
gratefully accepted. People got into
the spirit with Alice at the door," she
said.
The kids tractor pull was another
big victory as well as the pony rides
which drew in crowds. -
These fun-filled activities and
events helped to make the 143rd fair a
success. Unfortunately the one main
attraction that was sure to draw a
crowd didn't.
The Funland Outdoor Amusement
midway, which travelled from Port
Hope to set-up shop in Brussels, was
not well attended despite the new
rides.
It was the first time that midway
had been in this area and Huffman
said the board felt it was a good one to
bring to town.
She said there were many fun rides
for children, especially the merry-go-
round and the Avalanche ride which
was enjoyed not only by kids, but by
adults as well.
"We thought it was a nice midway,
but traffic was down and we're not
sure why. There were lots of new
rides to go on,"
Huffman said, "If we can't support
a midway we will have a problem
booking one for the following year.
The people who went said they were
happy with it but a midway is a big
expense. If they (carnival operators)
Can't cover their costs and make a
little money they won't be back. The
board hopes it can continue to bring
the midway in, but will have to have
the community's support."
Huffman said that unfortunately,
she doesn't think the midway made a
profit this year.
The exhibits were also down this
year, she said, but understandably so
because each year the number of
exhibits fluctuates depending on the
amount of time people haye to get
their items together. -
She said the flower exhibit was
down a little from last year, but since
the fair was a week later, it was "hard
for gardeners to get their best stuff
in." But the fruit and vegetable stands
however, were the"usual colourful
displays."
One of the bigger disappointments
this year was the number of school
exhibits that Huffman said were
"noticeably down."
"We found that quite disappointing.
We encourage the schools to get
involved in the fair because the board
puts a lot of effort into making it (the
fair) fun both in an educational and
entertaining way for kids."
She said the junior exhibits were
also down this year.
Despite a few minor setbacks,
Huffman said the- fair was successful
thanks to the terrific volunteer base
and the support of the community.
"There are always ways the fair
board can learn to improve things.
Overall it was a successful fair and
we hope to make it even better next
year."
Expo at
Trail,
Saturday
By Elyse DeBruyn
Citizen staff
The Huron Natural Environment
Expo this weekend will not only
better educate the public about the
Blyth Greenway Trail, but also give
the committee ways to improve and
help maintain the beauty it has to
offer.
From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 2,
the public is invited to join experts
from the Ministry of Natural
Resources, Maitland Valley
Conservation Authority and the
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries,
who will educate people about
several important environmental
areas.
Doug Scrimgeour, chairperson of
the Blyth Greenway Trail,"-said these
experts will hold demonstrations
about water quality, benthic (aquatic
insects) sampling, terrestrial wildlife
which includes muskrats and
beavers' and electroshocking the..
Blyth Brook.
Electroshocking is when an
environmental agency staff expert
sends an electrical shock through the
water simply stunning the aquatic
life, but not killing anything. This
gives the experts time to quickly
gather various species and put them
on display for the public.
"It's quite unique (electroshock),"
said Scrimgeour. "There are a lot of
species in the Blyth Brook and this
will give people a chance to see
everything. It's a real learning
event."
Eight area schools will have a
head start when they participate in
the fun on Friday.
Scrimgeour said there will also be
great hands-on demonstrations as
experts take the kids into the stream
to watch Mother Nature work.
"They'll look at all the things on
rocks (in the river) then turn them
over and see what's underneath:"
This fun event will be offered to
those who attend the Saturday
afternoon ' demonstration and
environmental agency staff members
will be available to answer any
questions.
On Saturday morning a closed-to-
the-public seminar will be held at the
Greenway .Trail where
environmental groups across Huron
County will gather to swap helpful
information.
"This is one of the main points of
the Expo, to help ourselves and other
environmental authorities share
information and networking like
fundraising."
Scrimgeour said there are
hundreds of environmental groups in
the area, but only 26 groups will be
at the Expo for the seminars.
He said the Blyth Greenway Trail
committee will make a presentation
about the how the trail started, how
the committee keeps it alive and how
it is maintained.
Continued on page 6
Round and round we go
Joining in the fall fair spirit, Amanda and Mathew Shadale hopped on the merry-go-round, a
big attraction for the young ones who attended the Brussels Fall Fair last week. (Elyse DeBruyn
photo)
143rd Fall Fair haled a success