Goderich Signal Star, 2011-12-07, Page 14aunty debates numbers bylaw
entral Huron Mayor
rants change
cath
County Council is not yet
1 to shed a 13 -year-old bylaw
proving irksome to some
Drs.
recent court ruling saw Huron
Council's composition shrink
n 20 members this past month,
administrators invited county
Greg Stewart to outline both
tice's decision and Bylaw
9, which proved to be in
an.
crux, the 1999 bylaw outlines
council's composition in
nce with the voter's list, allot -
councillor per municipality
an additional one per 4,000
on. However, the county opted
councillors stand as per legal
ist December, after the voter's
h is formulated by the Munici-
erty Assessment Corporation
was called into question. That
ecision was then appealed by
Fty municipalities - Goderich,
Colborne Wawanosh, Ilowick,
urnberry and Bluewater.
outlining the matter, the solic-
d it was an awkward situation
is both, Huron County's and
i of Goderich's lawyer.
g a question period, Coun.
nn (Central Huron) wondered
aact the ruling would have on
&s that have passed through -
given four of the councillors
of have been there.
tewart said there is no impact
court was not asked to open
bylaws, Ginn wondered about
n County library board's past
hree of the representatives,
ig chairman Brian Barnim
Huron), are now off council.
Stewart Sugg is the board's
should stand.
Ben Van Diepenbeek (ACW)
d disappointment with the
nored Bylaw 28," he said, add -
ultimately the decision as to
to maintain the status quo
\C's numbers came Into ques-
kiId have been left to county
vpenbeek adds it is unfortu-
councillors lost their oppor-
be at the table since they were
s.
uld've been dealt with a year
s Van Diepenbeek. "We knew
was a valid bylaw."
unty's solicitor replied that he
d for an opinion and he for -
one after consulting with the
of Municipal Affairs with
o the process involved in
changing council's composition. Stew-
art adds there was a debate among
councillors but the only motion about
it was tabled.
In short, says Stewart, council did
have an opportunity to debate the
validity of the bylaw.
"In January, it was left. There was no
challenge to the bylaw and there were
20 members on council," says Stewart,
adding an application for the appeal
was not brought forward until July.
In January, it was left.
There was no challenge to
the bylaw and there were
20 members on council."
— Greg Stewart
Coun. James Ginn (Central Huron)
questioned Van Diepenbeek's com-
ments with regard to the. recent
removal of four councillors.
"Your direction action is a result of
that," says Ginn.
While noting it is ironic a legal deci-
sion kept the council at 20 and a subse-
quent legal action changed it to 16,
Ginn says ultimately the problem is
with the voter's list supplied by MPAC.
"We all know the voter's list was in
shambles," says Ginn.
Coun. Deb Shewfelt (Goderich)
disagreed.
"That's your opinion," said Shewfelt.
"It (the composition) was a decision of
the courts. Why are we doing this?"
County Warden Neil Vincent (North
Huron) cut off the exchange, noting he
did not want to see an "argument on
the floor."
Vincent, whose own municipality
lost a councillor, had the clerk search
back on the matter and discovered the
only motion asking for a review of
county council's composition was
tabled earlier this year. It was sent on to
be later discussed at a strategic plan-
ning meeting.
"Basically, it never came back," says
Vincent.
Vincent says while there are two
opposing views on Bylaw 28, "Justice
Gorman has made a decision."
Coun. Bernie MacLellan (Huron
East) says the bigger picture needs to
be looked. He also questioned why
South Huron was given more time to
look at its voter's list and then allowed
to keep a third councillor in 2003.
"This has been an ongoing issue,"
says MacLellan.
Meanwhile, Coun. Tyler Hesse'
(Bluewater) expressed no sympathy for
municipalities questioning voter's lists
since they all knew what the numbers
were before Election Day.
"You're out there campaigning," he
says. "Ask people to vote."
While Coun. Paul Gowing (Morris
Turnberry) says it is important to
remember the bylaw is tied to the elec-
tor's list and not a population count,
Ginn said the matter must be
addressed since MPAC acknowledges
it does not have the means to maintain
an accurate list.
"We've got to come up with a differ-
ent formula," says Ginn, noting using
Statistics Canada's numbers might be
a sound alternative.
Goderich's Mayor's view remained
unchanged.
In noting the province sets the
standards, Shewfelt told Ginn to, "Read
the Act."
Ginn, however, contends the current
system does not cut it and there are
other counties that do things
differently.
"There are options out there," says
Ginn. "We've got to get this changed.
We can't go through this again."
While the warden notes council has
three more months to enact changes,
Coun. Joe;Steffler (Huron East) says it
is time to move one.
"Let's get on with life," he said.
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