The Citizen, 2005-06-09, Page 23THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2005. PAGE 23.
Council’s grumbles over rumble strips continues
By Keith Roulston
Citizen publisher
Complaints over the disruption in
the lives of St. Joseph residents
caused by noisy rumble strips led to
nearly an hour of debate at Huron
County council. June 2.
The debate arose after the county
highways department milled new
rumble strips into the pavement on
County Rd. 84, approaching its
intersection with Hwy. 21. In 2002,
following complaints from
neighbours about the noise from
raised rumble strips leading to the
intersection, county council had
intervened and instructed that the
strips be ground down to a point
where they reduced noise but still
warned drivers of the upcoming
intersection.
Debate at Thursday’s meeting was
stirred by a resolution from the May
11 meeting of the agriculture, public
works and seniors committee which
said the strips should stay in place
until a written opinion regarding
liability was received.
Other councillors asked that the
strips be taken out immediately.
“Council did make a motion (in
2002), said Dave Urlin, South Huron
councillor. “They shouldn’t have
been put back in. Those people built
there long before the rumble strips
were put in. 1 believe in rumble strips
but I wouldn't want to live there
either "
Bluewater councillor Paul Klopp,
who had fought on the behalf of the
neighbours to have the noise reduced
in 2002 noted there had been no
accidents caused by people driving
through the intersection onto Hwy.
21 since the strips were reduced.
“The key was, they weren’t taken
out, they were reduced,” Klopp said.
“They (the residents) compromised."
Others felt safety should be the
first priority.
Baked treats
“Our policy seems to be we put
rumble strips in but if people
complain, we put comfort over
safety,” said South Huron councillor
Ken Oke. “When you put comfort
over safety, I think anyone who goes
through the intersection has a cause
to sue even if the strips weren’t at
fault.”
Ben Van Diepcnbcck of Ashfield-
Colborne-Wawanosh argued council
should pass the motion to get a legal
opinion. “If we get (another) request
to take strips out again we need a
legal opinion.”
Goderich councillor Ellen
Connelly said she wasn’t sure how
she had voted in 2002 but “if I voted
for (reducing the strips) then. I’ve
changed my mind. It’s called safety
It’s called people. It’s called
grandchildren.”
“I’m going to make a motion that
we stand up for safety of the people,”
she said.
Bluewater councillor Bill Dowson
argued that if council changed its
mind on the rumble strips only three
years after ordering them reduced it
would lose credibility.
Jim Ferguson, Bluewater
councillor, argued that the council
already lost credibility because the
new strips had been put in against
council’s previous motion. “It should
have come back to the roads
committee before the strips were put
back in,” he complained.
The debate ended with a series of
defeated motions. The original
motion to seek a legal opinion was
defeated. Connelly then put forward
her motion that the rumble strips
remain but the road department look
into moving them further to the east
so they wouldn’t be so close to the
built-up area, but that motion too was
defeated.
Dowson then proposed a motion
that would see the strips paved over
while the road department developed
a written policy as to where rumble
strips would be used. Earlier he had
pointed out there are no strips used to
warn of intersections in Varna.
Bayfield, Brucefield or Egmondville.
That motion was also defeated
Finally, Bernie MacLellan,
councillor of Huron East proposed
the highways department develop a
written policy to be brought back to
council. This carried.
& Vie
for
edictkA .A
Saturday, June 11
•A
•A
•A
•A
•A
from 9:00 pm -1:00 am
Howick Arena
Free draw for Sony Home
Theatre System
at 10:30 pm
Must be in attendance
Music by D.J
Lunch provided
•A
•A
A
85* fRiitliday,
Ruth Sauve-Schade
It’s not all about the good buys on books that keep people thronging to the Blyth Festival book
sale each June. For 25 years Lois van Vliet, left, and Lynda McGregor have been baking and
selling delicious rhubarb pies. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Belgrave park
A work crew of parents and Belgrave Kinsmen Club members were busy last Friday and
Saturday installing the new playground equipment at the park in Belgrave. Members are
shown as they get one piece of equipment ready for installation, (jim Brown photo)
GuuSLif
U-O!
/lata, o-v-e/i Ute,
lull qau (jO-!
Love Barry
and the girls
You're invited to help
celebrate her
85th Birthday
June 25
at Brussels United
Church l~3 pm
for ice cream &. cake
June 11
Happy 88th
Birthday
Ralph S. Schade
You're invited
to help Ralph
celebrate his
88th Birthday
at Brussels United
Church
, 1-3 pm for ’C
ice cream & cake
June 25, 2005
Blues Band
June 18
‘Rack ‘Rutiiud
Classic Rock
JUNE 19
Father's Day Menu
Call for details
TUESDAY NIGHTS
2 for 1 Fish and Chips
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS
Kids eat free
THURSDAY NIGHTS
Wing Night
FRIDAY NIGHTS
Karaoke
SUNDAY NIGHTS
Roast Beef Dinner