HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1997-12-17, Page 3Not `revenue neutral,' says Crocker
Taxes might have to go up 6.1 per cent for same service
Unless further cost efficien-
cies can be found, Seaforth
taxes would have to rise
roughly 6.1 per cent in 1998
to maintain the level of ser-
vice we now have to cover
the nuts and bolts of suppos-
edly "revenue neutral"
offloading figures released by
the Ontario government in
the past few days.
Council will have to decide
where it goes from here when
it next meets the first
Tuesday in the New Year.
Town clerk/administrator
Jim Crocker has been hop-
ping since the figures started
arriving Friday.
The government has
promised since the word go
that changes would be "rev-
enue neutral."
What they didn't tell us,
Crocker says, is that these
"neutral" changes would
incorporate further provincial
municipal cost-saving targets
for the rapidly approaching
next fiscal year.
The government is saying
these targets work out to
roughly a 1.7 per cent
increase overall in rural tax
rates, but Seaforth's adminis-
trator says this figure is really
•some fancy accounting foot-
work and the bottom line is
Seaforth is faced with
$51,000 Tess than it was
expecting and this works out
to about 6.1 per cent.
There is really nothing we
can do until the next provin-
cial election, Crocker says.
The town lost about
$78,000 in provincial trans-
fers last year.
In any case, working out
individual tax bills for
ratepayers next year is look-
ing like a real headache.
The new provincial tax for-
mulas haven't been incorpo-
rated into the computer soft-
ware yet, so municipalities
may have to interim bill on
the basis of the old system.
In last Tuesday night's
report to council, Seaforth's
administrator reported Bill
149 was passed by the legis-
lature Dec. 3.
"While the government pro-
fesses this bill will simplify
the assessment and taxation
process, it has the greatest
potential for creating more
confusion than ever in this
area," he wrote.
"Our tax software supplier
noted the 'Government,'
while creating these changes,
has given no consideration
what -so -ever for the time
required to change our soft-
ware once the legislation is
passed. The Association of
Municipal Clerks and
Treasurers lobbied the
Government to amend the
bill without success.
"One of the main concerns
of the clerk's association is
the fact that final tax rates
and bills will not be available
until well after July 1 and the
legislation provides that the
final appeal date on assess-
ments is June 30.
If Ontario and Seaforth's
ratepayers have managed to
remain distanced from all the
offloading/restructuring tax
changes recently, Crocker
thinks they soon won't be.
Its going to hit them in their
pocket book, he predicts, or
services will further erode.
Student wins
various awards
in broadcasting
• HEARTBREAK AND HEROISM - latest book by John Melady.
Seaforth native finishes eighth book
BY JACKIE FITTON
Expositor Editor
Chronicling the history of
Canadian Search and Rescue
from its founding in 1947,
John Mclady has included
stories from across thc•coun-
try coast to coast between the
covers,of his latest hook
Heartbreak and Heroism:
Canadian Search and Rescue
stories.
Mclady horn and bred in
Seaforth with strong family
tics hcrc has puhlishcd his
eighth hook
The book is about some of
the most dramatic search and
rescue operations in Canada.
Melady. in town this week.
said he decided to author the
hook because search and res-
cue does not get the recogni-
tion it deserves.
"Most people don't know
anything about the organiza-
tion. But Search and Rescue
arc always the first on thc
scene, whether it's a missing
child or a major disaster."
Whether the action is on the
coast, within thc confining
walls of a power plant in.
Ontario. or high on a cliff
facc on a British Columbia
mountain. each of the stories
contained in the hook arc
exciting. memorable and true.
"That Others May Live" is
the motto of the Para Rcscuc
Association of Canada. It is a
simple concept, straightfor-
ward, evocative, yet rich with
meaning and worth.
There are accounts of
courage,.loyalty, persever-
ance and sacrifice by search
and rescue organizations that
know no hounds.
Melady writes about thc
heartbreaking last days of an
Anglican missionary fighting
for his life in a lonely Arctic
outpost. Another chapter
relays a dramatic rooftop res-
cue in New Brunswick.
To give an exact account of
the rescues Mclady inter-
viewed people who have
been saved from floods, fires,
plane crashes, carth move-
ments and violent storms as
he flew on missions with thc
organization to experience
first-hand to gaining an in-
depth feel of the work.
No less compelling are the
stories of the sometimes
unexpected and tragic losses
of the rescuers.
Melady throughly
researched each story.
Sometimes by hanging from
a harness strapped to a search
and rescue helicopter which
enabled him to take the cover
photo while hanging from a
helicopter.
In thc introduction of the
hook it. states: Scarch and
Rescue is low-key. self-effac-
ing, timeless. To the mem-
bers of the association. the
meaning of the motto is their
reason for being.
Established by the federal
government 50 years ago
Search and Rescue has now
been an official organization
in Canada, although its ori-
gins go back a bit further.
In all that time, the men
and women who pursued its
purpose were always there to
help. to perform their duties
in the services of others.
What they did and continue
to do is the subject matter of
thc hook which took Mclady
two years to research and
write.
Heartbreak and Heroism:
brings greater attention to thc
dedication and hard work
provided by search and res-
cue technicians. "It's an
important part of Canada's
armed services that many
people don't think
about...until they're needed,"
he said.
Thc hook puhlishcd by The
Durdurn Group is on sale in
all indepcndant bookstores as
well as Chapters, Coles,
Smith Books and Classics
bookstores across Canada.
Thc hook can also he
ordered through thc office of
thc Huron Expositor.
.ea/orth .7inancia/ .Service]
Wirt 6e
CLOSED
December 22/97 to January 5/98
Harry Den9faan wilt de available by
Appointment Only
May each & everyone of you Have a
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Brent Whitmore of Walton
recieved the K.A. Mackenzie
Memorial Award for innova-
tive use of technology: The Pat
Fitzgerald Award from
CKCO-TV for overall contri-
bution to the program and also
shared with the Sony of
Canada Award for exceptional
TV/radio productionskills and
the CKCO Betty Thompson
Broadcaster of the Year
Award. The awards were pre-
sented at the recent Conestoga
Awards for Excellence in
Broadcasting. Whitmore is
employed DOME Productions
in Toronto.
COLDS & FLU
The difference
Colds:
Symptoms start gradually.
You do not have a higl
temperature.
Appetite is normal.
You many feel sick.
Flu:
Symptoms start rapidly.
• You get a temperature it
the first 24 hours.
You lose your appetite.
Your muscles ache.
( information from Constuner
Health Information Centre)
THE HURON EXPOSITOR. Dscembse 17. 1997-3
Archie's
Service Centre
24 Goderich St. E., Seaforth 527-0881
FF
YAM this voucher YOU
Mil receive $1.00 OFF
your next 1111♦+p of any
grad. of IWI Gasoline!
(UPC
��I1r`d�Nts
Corstro
YOUR NEXT L.0 24 t Son
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trrumrt.. tr Mlles Wt. Polo OM .r..r.----..eln. I_ ow m.... _ .As.....li. tw
SEAFORTH VETERINARY CLINIC
NOTICE TO CLIENTS
HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS
OPEN
Dec. 24 - 8:00 a.m.-12 noon
Dec. 25 & 26 - CLOSED
Dec. 27 through Dec. 30
- 8 a.m. to 12 noon -
Dec. 31- 8 a.m. to 12 noon
Jan. 1 -CLOSED
Jan. 2- Business as Usual
In Case of Emergency
1-888-380-6581
TAKE PART IN
COMMUNITY POLICING
IN THE
TOWN OF SEAFORTH
Seaforth Council is now taking applications
for a citizen to serve as a "community
member" on the Seaforth Police Service
Board. The successful candidate should have
the following qualifications:
• good communication skills - written
and verbal;
• experience in budgeting and finance;
• experience in contract negotiation and
dispute resolution;
• volunteer service in the community;
• previous experience on boards or
committees;
• either a residence or business or
. • property owner in the Town of Seaforth;
If you are interested, please submit a resume
with business and -personal references to:
Clerk's Office
Town of Seaforth
72 Main Street South, Box 610
Seaforth, Ontario NOK 1 WO
by 5:00 p.m. on January 5th, 1998. Potential
candidates will be interviewed by a panel
between January 6th and 13th, 1998.
For more information, please contact the
Clerk's Office at 527-0160.
To Catch a Dream
I1ItASSUli
L
To
Catch
a Dream
.: is /old 10
I.linrcla I). Pruttst,.
FROM 1988, when
they first skated at
the Calgary
Olympics, to their
medal -winning
performance in
Lillehammer six
years later,
Isabelle Brasseur
and Lloyd Eisler
have become two
of the brightest
stars the skating
world has to offer.
In their
autobiography,
Brasseur and
Eisler show us
the heights and
lows of their
glittering amateur
career.
But, more than
anything else,
they
reveal how their
indomitable will
and support of
each other -
enabled them to
catch a dream.
A Beautiful Christmas Gift
$ 1 CI 95
Only... •flus GST
On Sale Until Christmas ... Pick it up at
"Your Community Newspaper"
100 Main Street Seaforth