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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-06-24, Page 5Goderich Signal -Star. Wednesday. June 24 2009 - Page A5 Cab fare hike proposed to Goderich councillors Gerard Crease signal -star staff Making sure that fare is fair - John Cou- lombe of Anytime Taxi was before council June 15 asking for increased rates to reflect the rising cost of fuel, repairs and insurance. After consulting with all local cab compa- nies, Coulombe presented their united front to council, asking for their first rate increase in- six years. ACW adopts new property standards bylaw Denny Scott signal -star staff After months of deliberation, legal counsel, and meetings, Ashfield-Col- borne-Wawanosh Township Council passed the Property Standards By-law on June 16, which will replace by-law Number 21-2007, the Tidy Yard By - Law. The new by-law, put into effect -im- mediately, affects only urban areas, and charges residents of ACW with a general duty of `maintaining their property in accordance with the standards set out in [the] by-law.' Reeve Ben Van Diepenbeek explained that the previous by-law was' ineffective at stopping offenders. "We've been taken to court and em- barrassed because this by-law doesn't have what it needs to give us the power to change things," he said. "Now we can make people resistant to cleaning up their yards do so." Council answered those who thought the by-law was excessive by saying that, in all rulings, common sense will always take. precedence. Along with the new guidelines for keeping yards clean, the by-law also of- fers new powers to those enforcing the rules and new penalties to those not in compliance. By-law officers may enter property at any reasonable time without a warrant to inspect the property to make sure the yard conforms with the by-law, order tests to ensure safe and healthy condi- tions at the cost of the owner, and bring experts with them to help aid in any evaluation of the property. If the officer finds that work does need to be done to bring the property up to code, they will provide an order to the landowner, and set an amount of time in which the owner must finish the needed changes. If a landowner doesn't com- plete the order, the township can have the property repaired or demolished , and place a lien on the land for the amount of the repairs, demolitions, or cleaning cost. Council received several pieces of cor- respondence from property owners and neighbours urging them to include ag- riculture in the by-law, but decided that a new by-law would address the unique concerns and situations in agriculture. Coulombe said when he started the busi- ness in 2003, gasoline was 70 cents a litre. Since then, the Anytime proprietor said, it has nearly doubled many times thanks to an unsteady oil market and ever -rising prices. All cab rides start at $3.20; a figure Cou- lombe wishes to retain. However, for each additional kilometre, the price would raise to $2, as opposed to the current $1.50. What that would mean for residents is an extra 20 cents per 100 metres. Delivery charges for customers would be increased to $8. Multiple stops with the same customer would carry a price tag of $2.50 per. Taxis hired by the hour would cost $30. Overall, the changes represent a 25 per cent increase - one that Coulombe deemed necessary to remain viable in the taxi busi- ness. Council advised Coulombe before rates can be raised, the matter has to be properly researched to make sure the suggested fig- M M ures are fair and accurate. The proposed increases will have to go before the Goderich Police Services Board July 9 for further approval. Ut IMPING GROUNDS Put a lid on it - that is the new criteria for composters in Goderich, after council re- vised their compost by-law June 15. Containers covering an area of no more than one square metre and less than 1.8 me- tres tall are permitted for residents provided they can keep critters out and keep the smell in. Composters are also required to be en- closed on all sides. Objectionable odours are making a stink in more than the back yard, with a pilot pro- gram to compost Goderich's sewage sludge at the Mid -Huron Landfill falling short of the mark. Approximately 1,300 tonnes of biosolid waste is produced each year at the Water Pol- lution Control Plant, where it is dewatered and shipped to the Mid -Huron Landfill. canon ER FAVOURIT "I'he town has been looking at possibly composting the waste material, though due to pathogens and odours, the landfill is "defi- nitely ruled out,' according to environmen- tal services technician Jennette Walker. In order to begin a measurable pilot pro- gram at the Mid -Huron site, the landfill has to go 45 days without an odour complaint - something Walker said was highly unlikely. However, without a trial to see how the sludge will compost, many unanswered questions remain - including what to do with the final product. Engineer Stephen Burns of B.M. Ross and Associates asked in a letter to council to develop a biosolids master plan, creating a longer list of alternatives for composting as well as reduce the amount of environmental assessment work. Burns estimated the cost of creating a master plan would run about $77,500 and take roughly eight months to complete. Canon's new EOS Rebel T 1 i is packed with features, both refined and new. In addition to its admirable performance with an all-new 15.1 Megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 Im- age Processor, a 3.0 -inch Clear View LC . r;th anti -reflective and scratch -resistant coating, and compatibility with the EOS System of lenses and Speedlites, the EOS Rebel T1i adds remarkable Full HD video capture at resolutions up to 1920. x 1080. An HDMI port allows for quick connections to high definition TVs and monitors for easy viewing. The operation is simple and easy even if you are a beginner. You'll have uncompromised EOS Digital performance with power and flexibility. 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