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The Citizen, 2005-03-24, Page 1Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Volume 21 No. 12 Thursday, March 24, 2005 $1 (93c + 7c GST) NH | NORTH HURON PUBLISHING COMPANY INC. | Inside this week Pg-3 Sparling advances in speaking contest Pg. 8 Atoms Division champs Pg-9 PeeWees tourney runners-up Pg-H Brussels skaters receive awards Pg-23 Women’s Day Out, April 9 Museum seeks collectors for show and tell The North Huron Museum is planning a Show and Tell weekend this coming August for area collectors of antiques and memorabilia. Museum board member and exhibit chair, David Onn says, “We’re looking for serious collectors in North Huron who will display and explain their treasures to the public.” The Collectors’ Show and Tell weekend will be held Aug. 13 and 14 on the main floor of the museum, located in the old post office opposite the Wingham Town Hall. Onn says there are already collectors of Wingham post cards, folk art canes and frames and antique dolls lined up. Onn himself, a long time collector of electric trains, will also be participating. While visitors who attend will be invited to make a donation, there will be no admission charge for the event. Onn says the Show and Tell weekend at the museum is a chance to learn about objects which may have considerable monetary value as well as being interesting reminders of past generations or even of one’s youth. The Antiques Road Show television programs are attracting large audiences in Canada and the U.S. as collectors and people search to discover what treasures they may have tucked away. Onn says his committee is inviting any serious collectors of objects to apply to participate by contacting the North Huron Museum curator, Jodi Jerome, at 357-1096. No exhibitor fee will be charged. Easter friend Nicole McIntosh picks up an appropriate item for the season as she shopped at St. John’s Anglican Church’s Easter sale on Saturday morning. (vtcky Bremner photo) Woman cycles for church By Jim Brown Citizen staff Audrey Bos is biking across Canada this summer. But, the mathematics teacher at F. E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham won’t be alone. She will be one of approximately 100 riders who will be biking from Vancouver, B.C. to Halifax, N.S. this summer to raise funds for the Christian Reformed Church in Canada. Bos is representing the Blyth Christian Reformed Church. The purpose of the largest cross­ Canada bike tour is the 100-year celebration of the first Christian Reformed Church in Canada and also to raise funds to support the denomination’s church planting initiative, seeking to bring positive changes to communities across the nation through the planting of new churches. “This is just an amazing opportunity,” said Bos. “1 enjoy travelling, and this will be a great way to see the country.” She indicated she has been out west before, but has never been down east. “I am really excited about the trip,” she stated. “It’s a chance to really challenge myself.” She has been preparing for the trek since last summer. She has been able to do a lot of research on bikes, and with the help of other more experienced riders has ordered a bike she hopes is more suited to travelling on roads. “1 was able to find a bike that suited what I wanted as well as what I will need,” she said. According to Bos, she was riding about 80-kms a day last summer, by riding on the old rail line trails on her mountain bike. She has been going to the fitness centre every morning, and now that she has finished coaching volleyball, she plans on doing weight training three evenings a week. As well as getting to see Canada at a slower pace than if driving, she said this is also an opportunity for her to get in touch with her faith and to meet a lot of other Christians from across Canada. “This is a wonderful opportunity for the church for celebrating its 100th anniversary,” she said. Each rider is expected to raise $1,000 per week, or $10,000 for the entire duration of the trek. To that extent, Bos is holding a community fish fry on March 30. She has been raising funds since late December. The event will be from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Blyth and District Community Centre, with the dinner being pay by donation. She has held a progressive dinner, with five host families and 61 people taking part. When the trails clear, she plans on cycling along the rail trail from Aubum to Goderich. She has been in contact with the student council at Madill and they may hold a joint fundraising venture, with the event being organized by the student council. Ninety-five bikers will be pedaling the entire 7,140 kilometres while others will be joining the Continued on page 6 HE rural residents see bigger tax jump By Mark Nonkes Special to The Citizen Rural residents in Huron East will see larger tax increases than their urban counterparts as council passed its 2005 budget at the March 15 meeting. McKillop residents will see the highest increase, with a 5.22 per cent tax hike over last year’s rate. Tuckersmith residents can expect a 5.07 per cent jump in taxes while Grey will pay 4.64 per cent more in the municipal portion of the tax bill. Brussels residents will pay 3.88 per cent more and Seaforth 3.29 per cent. The 2005 Huron East budget totalling $2,478,157 to be raised through taxes, rose by more than $115,000 from last year’s budget. The increase will hopefully help offset some of the $170,000 deficit the municipality incurred until the end of 2004. For the last few years, some departments such as roads and daycare, went over their budgeted amount, leading to the deficit. In an interview following the meeting, Huron East treasurer Brad Knight said the municipality is being more pro-active to avoid another budget shortfall. “Council is making department heads very aware that once the budget is set they expect them to meet their budget,” Knight said. “If they do go overboard they better have a good reason why.” Still, Huron East staff praised the municipality for having four of the lowest tax rates in the entire county. Last year. McKillop boasted the county’s lowest tax rate of any ward throughout Huron. It’s followed by Tuckersmith, Grey and Brussels. In contrast, Seaforth claims the fourth highest tax rate throughout the county. Despite the standings, the budget failed to impress a small group of Grey residents attending the meeting. The concerned citizens complained the current tax rate wasn’t fair for a rural economy in an agricultural slump. Since amalgamation, taxes have steadily climbed in Grey and all other Huron East wards. Yet, council stood behind the figures. “The land in Grey has gone up in value,” explained Brussels councillor David Blaney, justifying the increase. “The province sets your assessments,” added mayor Joe Seili. Tax rates differ per ward in Huron East as several services, such/ as Continued on page 2