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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-02-11, Page 1Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 — Seaforth, Ontario February 11, 1998 — $1.00 includes GST The Seaforth Figure Skating Club held its carnival this weekend. Members of the club Kim Steep. front left, Lisa Melady_ and Ashley Coleman. Back, left, Sarah Johnston, Tammy Russell, Danielle Melady and Laura Detchiaro made up as the Wild Things for their performance. _ (Fitton photo) Interim tax bylaw passed Downloadsng details indicate $51,000 to savings still need to be found to avoid tax hike, this year Special Transition Assistance." The higher figure "was con- firmed by calculations com- pleted on the Provincial Preliminary Current Taxes worksheet circulated by (Ontario's department of) Municipal Affairs," the clerk's fax to our MPP states. BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff Seaforth Council passed an interim tax bylaw last Tuesday night, based on 50 per cent of last year's mill rate. It is due near the end of this month. This town must reduce spending by $51,000 this year or raise taxes, according to its take on the download- ing details that have so far been released by the Ontario government. Clerk/administrator Jim Crocker questions these - for instance, the money Seaforth should now be getting back from the province in educa- tion taxes under the new downloading and transfer adjustment arrangements. In a fax he sent to Huron's MPP Helen Johns on Jan. 29. the town clerk figures "50 per cent of 1997 education taxes from residential taxes total $323,913, not the $131,000 in "residential education property tax room" indicated in downloading details specifically forwarded to Seaforth from the province, in a document titled "lower Tier Detail - Community Reinvestment Fund and Crocker also asked Johns if she could confirm that Seaforth is guaranteed to receive the $150,(00 total for "Community Reinvestment Fund and the Special Transition Assistance" in the details forwarded by the ministry. For assuming additional education responsibilities, the province increased municipal responsibilities in other areas. At the siert of the year, con- trol and • management of about $3 -billion worth of new responsibilities were transferred to municipalities across the province, -accord- ing to information in the package provided to the press at last Tuesday night's coun- cil meeting. Seaforth is required to take responsibility for the cost of assessment, farm tax rebate and loss of Bell Canada gross receipts tax. At the same time, Huron County becomes responsible for social assis- tance, child care, public health, ambulances, social housing, septic inspections and some provincial high- ways. "Provincial transfers to municipalities are being elim- inated in 1998," the informa- tion package from the town continues. "In return, the province is removing $2.5 - billion province -wide from residential education property tax bills and will he setting a uniform rate across the province. They have also established several funds to further compensate for this realignment. "The province maintains that, in Seaforth's case, the town must find an additional savings of $51,000 to offset the province's plans, to avoid a tax increase. The bottom line for local ratepayers at this time, is the 50 per cern interim tax levy is due Feb. 27. Penalty.and interest is 1.25 per cent. PSB an additional $1,685 Council cost ratepayers $20,526.77 Mayor Johnston, Coun. Ferguson made the most BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff Council members cost this town's taxpayers a total of $20,526.77 last year, and Seaforth's Police Services Board cost them $1,685 more. An annual statement of remuneration and expenses every year is mandatory under.Ontario's municipal act. Seaforth's seven council members: mayor reeve, deputy -reeve and four coun- cillors; received $18,614 in stipends in 1997, and an additional $391.91 for mileage and meals, $817.50 for conference registration and $703.36 for lodging. The three police board members altogether reccived$1,560 in stipends plus $125 for conference reg- istration, but not a cent for mileage, meals or lodging. Former Mayor Irwin Johnston got the most last year, a total of $4,819.77 fol- lowed by Coun. Brian Ferguson (now reeve, as of last December) who,received $3,780.92 in 1997. . Johnson got $4,086.60 in stipend, $123.88 for mileage and meals. $401.25 for con- ference registration and $208.04 for lodging. Ferguson got $2,625.60 as stipend, $258.75 for mileage and meals, $401.25 for con- ference registration and $495.32 for lodging. THE REST Reeve Bill Bennett, who held that post for 11 months last year before retiring from municipal politics, received $1,768.20 in remuneration in 1997, all but $15 (conference registration) in stipend. Deputy -reeve Bill Teall Bill Teals received a total of $2,096, all of it in stipend. Total remuneration for other councillors, in alpha- betical order, were as fol- lows (all stipend unless oth- erwise indicated): John Ball, $2,261.68 ($9.28 mileage and ,meals); Michael Hak, '$2;630.40; Heather Robinet, $2,847; David Scott, $244.40; Lin Steffler, $78. Scott (mayor) and Steffler (councillor) were newcomers on council, as of December. As a police services board member prior to resignation after her acclatqption to municipal cou til in November, Steffler also received a total $775, of which $125 was for confer- ence registration. PSB mem- bers Bill Teall and Bob Dinsmore received $390 and $520, respectively, all in stipend. MI totals include vacation Pay. Cheese ease. Producer -run plant opens end of month in Seaforth "We're actually providing the Canadian consumer with a domestically produced spe- ciality cheese," he said. The commodity type cheeses to he produced include Gouda, Edam, Limburger and Quark, a cream cheese low in fat and cholesterol, sour cream and yogurt. Production at the factory is set to be up and running by the end of this month. BY JACKIE FITTON Expositor Editor Aiming to produce speciali- ty cheeses to compete with imported products, area Jersey farmers have formed their own company in ' Seaforth. It is the first of its kind in eastern Canada. It's expected the new cheese factory will produce somewhere in the region 50,000 kilograms of cheese per year, says president Bruce Schmidt. • "We'll be producing mostly import replacement cheeses," he says. The Walton native says most of the products being made at the factory aren't available domestically in Canada. "We are replacing product that's mostly being imported from Europe and supplying the Canadian consumer with these products. southwestern Ontario shortly after the factory opens. The label product on the cheeses will hear the name Jersey Tradition. • Schmidt started floating the idea of opening a cheese plant exactly five years ago. "Now its become a reality, its starting to get very excit- ing," he said. Thc former Hoffineyer's Planing Mill retail outlet on the southeast corner of High At the initial start-up five and Huron Streets across employees will he hired. from the Legion parking lot. When it's operating to full is. the location of the compa- capacity Schmidt says: "it's • ny. going to depend on how The building has hecn quickly we can build volume, totally gutted and undergone but we are hoping to add onto major renovations this past that." year following the purchase Schmidt estimates there are of the building by Quality about 20-30 investors, with Jersey Products. the majority being area farm- .Although unsure of thc ofli- ers and the original investors cial grand opening Schmidt being jersey farmers, he said. predicts it could be towards The potential for growth is the end of March, adding the • enormous and Schmidt says whole community will then the cheese will hopefully be be invited to sample the in most ma or retail outlets in cheeses. Kevin Hart production manager at Quality Jersey Products levels the pasteurizer in preparation for production. Seaforth's new cheese plant will be up and running at the end of this month. (Fitton photo) Taxpayers can't win for losing BY GREGOR CAMPBELL, Expositor Staff Seaforth's ratepayers appar- ently can't win for losing. Council reduced reserves by $7,500 at last Tuesday night's meeting, to pay a claim for $9,017.35 from its insurance company because of the legal costs this town incurred from an action dis- missed in court last March - originally brought by presi- dent Charles Smith of Boilersmith Ltd. He sued the town and clerk/administrator Jim Crocker in an attempt to pre- vent them from issuing an occupancy permit for a new development by Sharon Medd of Seaforth. Legal documents pertaining to the extremely complex zoning/ bylaw case are a good four inches thick. But in brief and simply put. Boilersmith's president asked the court for an injunction against the new real estate/car wash business adja- cent to his property south- east of the tracks, owned by Medd, who he also sued. 'NO OPTIONS' The town• had proceeded cautiously on recommenda- tions of its planning advisory committee, after lengthy and Gas stations stung A couple of Seaforthas cheques with $ q h an altered face stations have been stung by a scam "by persons using stolen Government of Canada Goods and Service Tax rebate cheques. Ontario Provincial Police say the two pre -endorsed School closing value of $1,283.98 ($558.23 and $725.75) were cashed "and no one was asked for identification, which would have been on the cheque, ie. name and SiN card number. Concerns voiced BY RiCK KEW SSP News Staff Citizens from the Seaforth and Mitchell areas of the Avon Maitland District School Board voiced their opposition, during a public meeting at Dublin Community Centre Monday night, to the board's propos- als to close schools to estab- lish new headquarters. Close �.. 1 Sn people attend- ed to 150 attend- ed the meeting, which „ scheduled two weeks ago to allow groups and individuals an opportunity to submit ideas addressing the issue of finding a permanent head- quarters for the new district board. Seaforth District High School has had the threat of closing looming over its head for some time and defenders "" on Page 5. complicated discussion and public meetings. The court eventually agreed with Scaforth's solicitors that the actions against the town and Crocker should he dis- missed and Smith should pay 52,500. The new business suhsc- quently opened. However, thc legal costs the town incurred exceeded its 510,000 deductible with Frank Cowan Company Ltd. Council agreed it had "no recourse" and "no options" other than to honour the request for payment of the invoice from its insurance company at last week's mcct- ing, by scam "The culprit is increasing the face value of the cheques by altering thc numbers. making a small purchase of gasoline and cigarettes and receiving cash hack in the balance." The incidents occurred in two gas stations in Seaforth that weren't identified. on Jan. 24 and 28. Thc OPP warns that busi- ness owners should have a cheque-cashing policy. or at least make their employees aware of how to detect a forged cheque, especially when it has been 'obviously changed." The press release adds that if anyone has observed, is aware of, or has knowledge of this crime please call Crime Stoppers of 'Huron County at 1 -800 -222 -TIPS (8477).