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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2006-01-12, Page 1Bgtj-SS " ELS The Citizen Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Volume 22 No. 2 Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006 $1 (93c + 7c GST) Emergency prepared Robin Dunbar, second from right, from MPP Carol Mitchell's office tries out the new equipment purchased for the Grey Fire Department from its portion of the Ontario Fire Service grant. Looking on are, from left: captain Don Cochrane, captain Bill Pearson and chief Calvin Semple. (Bonnie Gropp photo) Grant benefits Grey firefighters !NORTH HURON PUBUSHING COMPANY INC. I Inside this week Brussels Guides Pg 2 think of others Pg / County homes to get / physiotherapist Dr. Novices win rg. 0 tournament A Pg. P in NH council hears S. lu about Best Start i Woman celebrates 10 90th birthday County passes draft budget By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor „ County council passed • its draft budget With a: levy increase of 5.34 per.oent at its Jan. 5 meeting. The decision did not come without its minor squabbles, however. Despite assurances and reminders from staff and warden Rob Morley that this budget was simply a starting poirk, the idea of any increase did not sit well. Huron East councillor Joe Seili was the first to speak against the draft budget saying he did not support it in any way. Seili said he was still upset by the Wingham location council had chosen for the north ambulance station. "I will only support this if there is a station in Brussels. This budget only says this could happen in the future, but that might be a different council and that day may never come." Treasurer Dave Carey responded to questions regarding the $15 million now in the 16 reserves funds. The biggest point was why this money was not used to reduce the levy. Carey stated that in 2003 council had passed a reserve fund policy stating that certain reserves would have a minimum level of funding. "However, it doesn't stop council from utilizing any reserves, but if you take $1 out it's $2 to put it back in." Following Carey's detailed verbal presentation, several councillors asked that the numbers be presented in a written report for clearer understanding. Bluewater councillor Bill Dowson said he had received a phone call from an accountant regarding the levy increase and was "baffled". He referred to the past two years when the figure had come in at a 40 per cent increase, which was brought down to 30 per cent. Then last year Continued on page 6 By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor Grey Fire Department has recently upgraded essential equipment thanks to their portion of the Ontario Fire Service grant for rural and northern departments. ' The department recently acquired four new breathing apparatuses and eight oxygen bottles for a total complement of 10 and 35 respectively. "The old ones are on standby, to be kept in use as long as we can re-certify them," said chief Calvin Semple. By Heather Crawford Citizen staff Local farmers would like to inform the candidates running in the federal election that they are not satisfied with anything they have heard about agriculture yet. Steve Webster, a retired farmer out of Blyth and a member of the Ontario Holstein Heifers Association, said he has talked to farmers from Ottawa to Muskoka Deputy-chief Dave Diehl said that a department such as Grey should have a minimum of six breathing apparatuses. The new equipment replaces ones that were patented in 1977, said Semple. "When we certified them in 2002, the guy warned us then that the parts were getting hard, to find for these pieces." The new bottles are aluminum, much lighter for the firefighters than the old steel ones. The appartus also has an integrated 'man down' alarm. Grey received a little over $16,000 and said they are "extremely disappointed that the candidates have not said what they would do to help the agricultural crisis." Webster said he has been in contact with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the National Farmers Union and other commodity organizations to see what other farmers are feeling. "I like phoning around and getting a feel for what people are going through," he said. from the grant for Huron East departments. The total price 'of the new equipment was approximately $14,000. "We actually got these for half price because they are an older model," said Semple. The only difference is in the gauge location which is located in the mask on the new ones, rather than on the shoulder. The remainder of the funding will be used for training, according to the chief. "I didn't see any sense in training if we don't have the proper equipment to train with." According to Webster, farmers are not feeling very secure with their options for political leaders for this election. "One farmer I talked to in Kingston said he is really hurting with the hay shortage there is now. The cash croppers, and heifer [growers] are all hurting. All three candidates have not come up with a plan to help farmers," he said. The Huron County Federation of Continued on page 11 Blyth library gets new digs By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor The future looks bright for Blyth Library as Huron County council, at its Jan. 5 meeting, approved a relocation to a more spacious, more prominent facility in the downtown core. The recommendation was that the branch be moved to 390 Queen Street, in the space adjacent to Blyth Decor, on the condition that the interior walls not required for library purposes be removed, that air conditioning and new _ flooring be installed and that space requirement be reviewed in - three years to determine future needs for the community. In 2001 county council had requested that the county library prepare a strategic plan for future direction for library service in Huron. A consultant was brought_ in for the project. On July 4, 2002, the final report was presented to council. It had also been distributed separately to the library board and to each library branch. They were presented to local councils during the fall of that year and winter of 2003. As part of the Huron County library board review of the progress to date on the library strategic plan, and with regard to the partnership of the local municipalities in library service, specifically the responsibility for library buildings council passed a motion. A deadline for studying the facility model report for North Huron, Central Huron, Bluewater and Huron East branches was set for Dec. 31, 2004, with a timeline of Dec. 31, 2005 for the submission of each respective facility's restructuring plan. The problems with the current library facility in Blyth were its size and inaccessibility. The building was 969 square feet, with one-third of that not accessible. The minimum size should be 1,225. square feet and to meet provincial standards for a county branch library it should be 2,500. County librarian Beth Ross had toured the library last summer with council and also walked along Queen Street to consider the potential for relocating the library. At the end of last year, North Huron advertised for interested parties to submit a proposal for the relocation. Two were received and these were followed up with site visits. The preference was for the building owned by Don and Linda Stewart. North Huron will enter into a lease agreement with the owners for 1,350 square feet with an additional 700 square feet becoming available in three years time. The entrance to the building is wheelchair accessible and parking is available on the main street and at the rear of the building. There is also a back entrance. In her report to the county, which had been approved at the committee of Continued on page 3 Farmers want more from candidates