The Citizen, 2003-12-17, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2003.
HE wants Seaforth Trust Fund more accountable
By Andrea Hruska
Special to The Citizen
Municipality of Huron East
council wants the Seaforth Trust
Fund to be more accountable to the
ratepayers and come out from under
the “shroud of secrecy and doubt”.
At last week’s council meeting,
deputy-mayor Bernie MacLeilan
expressed dismay over concern that
"public money is not really in the
Trees 100% biodegradable
Continued from page 17
the effect, but remember to carefully
remove all tinsel. Birds will try to
eat the shiny stuff and it will make
them sick.
A Christmas tree is 100 per cent
biodegradable. Its branches and
needles make excellent mulch in the
garden, especially for plants like
rhododendrons which like an acid
soil.
Many gardeners also use the trunk
as a stake for tall plants or use
several trunks to make an obelisk
trellis for the garden.
Many cities and municipalities
gather Christmas trees on special
collection days and put them
through shredders which chop them
up into small pieces. The resulting
Vandals target
metal windmill
On Dec. 13 at noon OPP were
contacted about property damage at
McCall Line in Morris-Tumberry.
The victim told police that
sometime through the night an
attempt was made to pull down a
metal windmill at the rear of their
property. The windmill, still being
used to pump water for cattle, had a
chain/rope attached and someone in
a vehicle had attempted to pull it
over. The attempt failed but one of
the structure’s supports was broken
public eye.”
Although many heard rumblings
throughout Seaforth, discord over
construction work not being
tendered out and minutes and
financial statements not being
forthcoming, some credit Susan
Hundermark of The Huron
Expositor with bringing the situation
to the forefront. “I was approached
by a local daycare attempting to
raise funding (from the trust fund)
mulch is then used in the summer on
the flowerbeds in city parks.
Aromatic fir tree foliage can be
stripped from the branches and
snipped into small pieces for
stuffing rnto aromatic fir needle
pillows for the sofa or bedroom.
Some people also use fir foliage in
dresser drawers to give clothing and
blankets a fragrant aroma. Foliage
can also be used, along with
recycled gift wrap, to make your
own hand-made papers.
Large quantities of used trees
make effective sand and soil erosion
barriers, especially along shorelines.
The Royal Botanical Gardens in
Hamilton has undertaken a very
successful marshland rehabilitation
project, using Christmas trees
off in the process.
Huron OPP are continuing their
investigation into several cases of
vandalism in the Morris-Tumberry
and Huron East area over the last few
weeks. If you can help solve these
cases please call the Huron OPP or
Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-
8477(TIPS).
and I wanted to do a story. As I
asked around, I was told there were
no minutes, no books, even the town
didn't know what was going on,”
she explained.
According to Hundermark,
councillors attempting to respond to
ratepayers' queries about the actions
of the trust fund committee, which is
now a real estate holding company,
were told to "write a letter asking for
the minutes” because it was not
gathered from the city's collection
program. Many southern US states
are using discarded real Christmas
trees to control erosion and improve
aquatic habitat along inland coastal
waterways.
Old Christmas trees stacked
together in a forest provide shelter
for rabbits and other small animals.
Sunk into fish ponds, Christmas
trees make excellent refuge and
feeding areas.
Woodworking hobbyists can make
a multitude of items from the trunk
of a used Christmas tree including
buttons, gavels and candleholders.
- This information is presented for
your information and enjoyment by
the Christmas Tree Farmers of
Ontario.
Please Recycle
This Newspaper
are our
routinely done or quite plainly that
the information was none of their
business. This concerned
Hundermark and prompted her to
contact trust fund representatives
from Exeter and Brussels, only to
find that this was not the norm and
other committees presented
information to council on a regular
basis. Municipal council also
governed any final expenditures.
-MacLeilan explained that there
are two separate issues in the
controversy. Huron East was
penalized approximately $2,000 in
late summer by accountants waiting
on financial information from the
Seaforth Trust Fund who needed to
complete statements for the
municipality. Next, there are very
few details explaining the $27,000
paid out to committee members for
“management fees”.
MacLeilan wants “to be sure the
municipality is treated fairly
because council is responsible to the
public at large at the end of the day.”
Seaforth councillor and trust fund
committee member Joe Steffler took
great offence to any inference that
the trust fund committee was less
NOTICE TO MEMBERS
KOndD ANNUAL
GENERAL MEETING
will be held at the
Betty Cardno Centre
Hwy 8 West CLINTON, Ontario
on WEDNESDAY JANUARY 7, 2004
Complimentary Dinner: 6:00 P.M.
Meeting Start Time: 7:00 P.M.
For Dinner Planning, Attendance
Must be Confirmed in Advance.
Please Register By Contacting Your Branch or
calling Shelley Merner (519) 482-3409 ext. 231
by Monday, Jan. 5, 2004
For the purpose of receiving reports and financial
statements for the year ending September 30, 2003;
electing Directors and Credit Committee Officers;
appointing Auditors; amending Bylaws and the
transacting of all other business of an Annual
Meeting, stated only on the aganda as per
bylaw No. 7.07
Special Door Prizes!
Entertainment - The Harmony Kings!
Transportation Available
Buses leaving from the Exeter and Listowel branch
office parking lots. Buses will leave Exeter at
5:30 p.m. with a pick up in Hensall if required, and
5:00 p.m. from Listowel. Please call Shelley Merner
at the Clinton office 482-3409 Ext. 231, KaremFox at
Exeter 235-0640 and Mike Shepski at Listowel
291-6189 by Monday, Jan. 5th, 2004, to arrange.
Confirm your attendance today. Hope to see you
there!
Ail Members are welcome.
Heartland®
Community Credit Union Limited
Head Office, Clinton
48 Ontario Street, Clinton
Ph. (519) 482-3466 Fax (519) 482-3743
Exeter Branch
118 Main Street, Exeter,
Ph. (519) 235-0640 Fax (519) 235-0261
Listowel Branch
161 Inkerman Street W. Listowel
Ph. (519) 291-6189 Fax (519) 291-6191
Website: www.heartlandcommunitycu.on.ca
than co-operative. Steffler said he
has spent years with the PUC and
not once did council question what
we did.”
When asked about the Community
Care Access Centre in Seaforth not
being tendered in accordance with
municipal policy, Steffler explained
that the committee felt local
contractors would do a better job
because of their “vested interest.”
Steffler wants it on record that he
“will never apologize for what the
trust fund has done” and feels they
may benefit from a different
management setup.
“1 think the trust has done a good
job,” Hundermark commented, but
“why all the secrecy?”
LANDFILL
NOTICE
West Wawanosh Landfill
Hours
will be changing to winter
hours for
Jan. 1 to March 31,2004
to Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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