HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 1999-05-19, Page 1In brief
May 19, 1999
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Local weather
Wednesday --Mix of sun
and cloud. High near 18.
Thursday --Sunny. High
near 23. Low near 10
Friday --Cloudy with
sunny periods, chance of
showere High, 23. low 10.
5(' Mix of sun
rr gh, 22. low
From Environment Canada
Council
looks at
renewing
West
Branch
ties
Recreation Director
Marty Bedard is talking
with local organizations
to see what they think
about renewing ties with
Seaforth's sister city,
West Branch, Michigan.
Bedard brought the
issue to council's
attention at its May 11
meeting after receiving
copies of a letter sent by
West Branch's city
operator Pat McGinnis,
interested in renewing a
link between the two,
similar sized towns.
Bedard told council the
two had just started
talking about the idea
and McGinnis hadn't
b;gygbi i1 up with his
council yet.
Bedard suggested.
council look at smaller
activities between the
two municipalities rather
than the large sporting
tournamentsthey had
that required organizing
events and finding places
to stay for about 300
young people from West
Branch. Large
tournaments were typical
events between the two
towns in the 1980s and
Bedard wondered if the
size of it made it too hard
to keep up and maybe
that was . part of the
reason interest waned in
the exchanges.
"1 guess we could
always send a letter and
see how involved they'd
like to be," said Mayor
Dave Scott.
Reeve Lin Steffler said
they should maybe see
what other organizations
would like to do in the
two communities.
Council talked about
the possibility different
service clubs might like
to get involved.
Bedard mentioned a
firefighting convention
that will take place here
.next year that might be
interesting for West
Branch firefighters to
attend.
"I think we'd like to
open the communication
lines," said Scott.
Optimist Club
holds bike
rodeo.
Poge 5
Featuring...
horticultural
therapy.
Ptalg. $
Students learn
about drama.
Pogo 1t
Motionto kcep
Tuckersmith
in MRC fails
Bayfield councillor feels bad
for Tuckersmith residents
By Nellie Evans
Lakeshore Advance Editor
The Municipal Restructuring
Committee (MRC) is moving
on without Tuckersmith
Township in a process that's
left members with a sour
taste in their collective
mouths.
Some MRC members
expressed disappointment in
Tuckersmith council for
ignoring their electors as
they decided recently to
merge with Seaforth and
McKillop Township.
Township residents. some of
whom showed up at last
week's MRC
meeting in
Hensall, are
accusing
council of
ignoring a
poll in which
1,061 ballots
were cast on"
the question,
"Assuming
there is no
difference in
cost, whom
would you prefer the
Township of Tuckersmith
amalgamate with?" The
results, read by resident Jim
McIntosh, were 62 per cent
in favor of the MRC. 28 per
cent in favor of
Seaforth/McKillop and 10
per cent had no opinion.
"1 feel terribly, terribly bad
for the people of
Tuckersmith." said Bayfield
Coun. Diane Denomme.
"But if council does not want
to join (us) then the outcome
will be extremely negative.
There would be an impasse
at every road. I suggest to let
Tuckersmith go.
While MRC members had
already suspected the
township would pull out,
Tuckersmith Reeve Bob
Broadfoot made an official
announcement, giving as
reasons a stronger
community of interest with
Seaforth, 'extension of
services into Egmondville
and Harpurhey and a new
plan of subdivision that
extends across the town -
township border. He also
thanked the MRC for being
patient with Tuckersmith the
past few months.
"We're all sorry to see you
pull out," responded Hensall
Reeve Cecil Pepper.
"1 think this group deserves
more of an explanation," said
Stanley Township Reeve
Jack
Coleman.
"We've been
in this group
for two years.
Egmondville
a n d
liarpurhey
have not
moved. I can't
see how one
member of
council has
changed
Quoted
1 feel t
terribly
the pe
Tuckers
Bayfield C
Oe
erribly
bad for
ople of
mith'--
oun. Diane
nomme
anything."
Broadfoot said he was told
in January or February by the
late Reeve Bill Carnochan to
seriously look at
amalgamating with Seaforth
because of the Bridges
subdivision plan.
Tuckersmith selected a new
councillor just two weeks
ago.
McIntosh said his group
called the county planning
department and discovered
Seaforth and Tuckersmith
don't have to be'officially
joined for the Bridges plan to
be approved. The
subdivision could occur with
an agreement between
separate municipalities, he
See COMMITTEE, Page 5
Shakespeare wheels into town
The Artists in the Classroom program called Shakespeare on Wheels brought drama specialist
Gail Fricker to Seaforth Public School on Monday'where students took part in a production of
the Rainbow Crow. See Page 12 for more photos.
Susan Hundertmark photo
Liquor licence denied
Arena manager. insists
town needs liquor policy
in `worst possible way'
By Scott Hilgendorff
Expositor Staff
Arena Manager Graham Nesbitt is
recommending the town develop a liquor
policy after The Seaforth and District
Community Centres' application was denied
last week.
"This municipality needs an alcohol policy
in the worst possible way," said Nesbitt.
The•Alcohol and Ganong Commission sent
notice the application was denied 'aftera
hearing in February to allow debate about
why or why not the licence should he
granted.
The commission determined those against
the application successfully showed the
licence. was not in the community's best
Seaforth Girls Band seeking funds
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Staff
The Seaforth District High
School All -Girls' Marching
Band is actively seeking
funding from all Huron
County municipalities,
businesses and service
groups, say booster club
executive members Shirley
Brugger and Penny Breen.
Breen says the executive is
not hopeful it will receive the
$3,700 it needs from the
Avon Maitland District
School Board since the board
passed a new policy in March
requiring "co-sponsored
groups," which were
traditionally funded by the
board, to apply for funding.
A recent letter from board
director Lorne Rachlis says
the band should receive a
response about its request for
funding before the end of the
school year in June.
Along with its financial
request, the'.band is waiting to
hear if the board will
continue to provide free
storage space for instruments
at 'Seaforth District High
School, free practice space at
high schools in Seaforth and
Goderich and the use of
school buses, of which the
band pays for drivers'
salaries and fuel.
"Those three things are
really important because our
costs are going to be a lot
higher if the board decides
not to provide them," says
Brugger.
The board recently
informed bandleader Charles
Kalbfleisch that he will no
longer be receiving a wage
from it to run the band. He
had been receiving a wage of
approximately $4,000 a year
to run the band since he
retired in 1991 after teaching
for the former Huron County
board of education for 26
years.
"Charlie told us his funding
has been cut but not to worry.
He'll go on. He'll do it until
he drops because he loves it,"
says Breen.
Breen says the band has
been receiving some
donations from private
citizens since the board
'passed its new funding policy
but added that the band needs
a commitment for annual
donations to be able to plan
for the future.
"One lady from Goderich
sent us $1,000 saying she
couldn't believe the board
couldn't find $3,700 to keep
the band going," she says_
"Those sorts of one-time
donations are wonderful but
we need to know our basic
costs are being met every
year."
In order to apply for
funding from groups like the
Trillium Foundation, the
band needs to become a non-
profit organization with a
charitable donation number, a
process Breen says could take
a couple of years.
She says a service club
could help out by allowing
the band to use its charitable
donation number until the
band has a chance to apply
for one of its own.
"We've asked a few service
clubs but we don't know if
anyone will sponsor us yet.
Weave been told by the
Trillium Foundation that
allowing us to use their
number won't interfere. with
See NAME, Page 2
interest after private citizens. owners. of
liquor licenced ban and restaurants, town
council and the Business Improvement Area
all made objections.
"The BIA is pretty happy about it." said
chair Susan Halfpenny. "We're just glad it
didn'tgo through."
Concerns had been raised that people
didn't want alcohol regularly served in a
facility that has. many events involving
children. Concerns -were also raised the
SDCC should not he competing for alcohol
sales against other local businesses.
But Graham and SDCC hoard chair Dennis
O'Connor strongly supported having a
Licence w better able arena staff to control
and monitor the use of alcohol in the facility.
Right now, Nesbitt said anyone can receive
a special occasions permit without .having to
take courses such as the Smart Server
program that teaches 'people their
responsibilities when serving alcohol and
how and when not to serve someone.
See MANAGER, Page 2
Stephanie Dole photos
Prom King and Queen Everett Smith and Starla Wick were
named Saturday night al Seaforth District High School's prom.
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