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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 1999-07-21, Page 1July 21, 1999 $i (includes GST) Local weather Wodnosday=-Increasing. clouds with scattered showers - High 28 low 19 Thursday -Warm, hazy - • and humid High .31 low 21 Friday --Warm, 'hazy, humid,: thunderstorms. High 31. low 21. From Environment Cordo - In brief Traffic will be stopped on Centre A stop sign is hoped to slow traffic on Centre Street after council passed a motion to have a bylaw prepared to erect one on that street The motion came after a request from residents along the street in a letter read at council's July 13 meeting. • They've requested a stop sign at Centre and West street where there is a large number of children living and cars travelling at high speeds, bypassing the Highway 8. "We are concerned for 'the safety of our children." the letter says. "I can give you two more that should be looked at," said Coun. Heather Robinet: John Street and Market Street. "This isn't ihe first complaint we've had on this street," said Deputy Reeve William Teall who is also council's representative on the police services board. Mayor Dave Scott pointed out with a new subdivision there. traffic Will have increased as well. "1 honestly don't see any negatives," he said about the request. Council supported having a bylaw prepared to place a stop sign on the street: Alan McLean dies at 49 Alan McLean. descendent of the McLean family which founded. The Huron Expositor and son of the late A.Y. and Winnifred McLean. the last McLean to own The Huron Expositor, died' lastSaturday at age 49. He died of a heart attack in his Stratford residence on July 17. , Surviving are his sisters Margaret McLean. of Bayfield and Susan White, of Belleville and his brother David McLean and wife Elizabeth, of France: He is siso survived by many mean, nephews, aunts and uncles. There will be no hmera/ home visitation. Cremation will take place with a memorial service at the W.G. Young Funeral ' Horne, 430 Huron St., Stratford on Saturday, July 24 at 11 a.m. Inside... 110c es trt�fl MC1110r $ Businesses open and expand Poge 1 r i Senior honoured kr senior germs Pogo 11 Susan-undertrrtork A squirrely time Above, Alex Coleman gestures to Carolyn Murray as she reaches for more glue to complete her squirrel during the crafts section of the Animal Adventures summer reading program at the Seaforth Library At right, progrom worker Valerie Van Riesen helps a little girl with her craft Taxes could drop about five per cent Residential rates to drop as savings made across budget By Scott Higondorff Expositor Editor . A small decrease in the tax rate remains and there's -still- ,some money for donations like- a S 1,000 grant approved 'last week to the Seaforth All Girls .Marching Band after 'council accepted its 1999 budget:. Three: weeks -after the -draft of the budget was presented. there were no comments or questions other than what to do about- a donation to the band. • • Council w,as`waiting until the budget w•as. prepared to • determine how much money to give the band. The public school board was considering not funding the .band any longer, prompting council. • and other community members to offer their support. But at a meeting last month, the board approved funding the band. leaving council to determine how much it should.give. • With S14:000' being -transferred-into reserves. council had considered giving a S1:000 grant. - Despite receiving board funding, this -year, -Reeve -Lin - Steffler said. "They've got a lot of instruments to replace.'' She and•Mayor Dave Scon. suggested the 51.000 which was unanimously 'approved. "They're the: Seaforth band. 7f we 'can't support - them: -who the heck's going Cor' Steffler said. • Council will use the rest of the 514.000 reserve for other unexpected items or when it considers future requests of support .from community members. Not in the budget is another 598.000 which an auditor's report is expected to find. not used in last year's budget. With the current budget. 'already approved. those expected .savings found- from last year's budget will be• transferred to the resern es. This year's budget features 51.948.690 in expenditures. to operate the town. down slightly from Iasi -Ye -ifs budget of S1.969.845. :1t is expected to give tax payers a decrease_ of about five per cent on their tax bills this year through a number.of small reductions throughout the overall •budget and a small decrease to residential property owners in their. taxes to the school board. When the bylaw is passed to set the mill rate at council's next 'meeting. tax. Consultants recommend PUCs link under tight deadline By Scott Hllgondortf Expositor 'Editor A decision regarding how .municipalities will operate and survive in a now'competitive hydro eleiatic-market wi113oon have` to be Thiy follows recommendations made to all councils involved in a Huron. and Perth partnership by the • consultants they hired to help them decide how to-do with their public utitlities commision and municipal electric utilities. Huron -and Perth PUCs have been working for more:than a year now -with consultants to try and develop an amalgamated venture under the Energy Compeition Act. It requires PUCs to become .corporations following the deregulation of Ontario Hydro. that'hase been•hired to advise a,P1•C restructuring committee of what course of action to take.. The consultants were in Seaforth last Tuesday. July 13 for a meeting with all councils -to: update- them on the restructuring process. Quoted 'It seems the 'larder we try to be of the goal . we're trying to get to, the farther behind ori,;;;Ii '0111 csN.m nt 00 PUC rMhuthain0 But it's been a difficult process as the deregulated provin jal system evolves. "It seems the harder we .try to be the goal we're trying to get to, the father behind we get," said Paul iks. He and Neil Winger were representing the legal and consulting firms of Acnes International and Smith Lyons Stratford, •Goderich. and -Exeter. originally, part -of the group, are looking at different options. Stratford. which could have been a major strength in the amalgamation with its large customer base. has decided to operate completely on its own. - But the consultants are now recommending the remaining 12 PUCs remain together and are suggesting some fast deadlines• to get this in place by.falt, 2000. "Whatever you do, do it in a bulked up fashion," said Hayricks, emphasizing strength in numbers. "From our experience. utilities with less than 10.000 custutners, are going to have a very difficult time surviving in the new competitive industry in the province. The utilities with a large customer base also have dollars will raise 5829.023 of the. 51.948.690, ' - Among the changes in this veal's budget is a decrease.of_ about 530.000 in salaries. That includes changes in staffing with . last year's retirement of :Clerk -Treasurer Jim Crocker who. was replaced by Jack McLachlan with -his wages shared' by'. Tuckersmith and McKillop - Township; The police services board budget is down by about 51.000 with a cut in the. travel `and" •conaera ioars budget that was set at 51.500 last year. ` However. alcLachlan.said the contract to -police rhe town .has increased by about 511..000 as requested by the province. It • now - costs 5367,157 to •police `the town instead of S355371. • The fire:.sersices budget'. remains .almost the same ar 539.990 with no. more discussion about including some money in a reser' e for the replacement ot. fire trucks. The issue was raised this winter bs Coun. Michael Hodges who 'said the fire department thought it %yould be wise to include some .money for when one of its trucks needs to be replaced in the next couple years. to soften the blow. . About 517.000 has been included for "general government" for .upgrades. to computers to make them • Y2K compatible or because -they ----are-- outdated--:f-or--- changes-needed -changes needed after,moving. • Tucker.mith and McKillop Township offices to the; • Seaforth Town Hall and for central an- conditioning: McLachlan said with ihe. extra staff no hrought..into ihe downstairs office froth_ McKillop and Tuckersrnith: it is getting uncomfortably .w arm inside the roofi- - • Still no explanations for Adult Centre's massive rent -increase Questions remain unanswered about the future of teh Huron Adult Dav Centre after County Council's July 8 meeting: lacers Of the facility were hoping some answers would have been found about where a 565.000 rent increase came from. - • ' • • • - . A. number of'weeks ago, the centre •was. informed•by the Ministry of Health that -it had received a bill from , Huron County for $65.000. The centre was told that the sum was for 'costs incurred by the occupants -Of the Jacob • 'Memorial -:Building, according to 'a revised funding formula for the building:.. ' ' • • . ' I • The HADC provides -daily social and physical:' 'activities for seniors as well as programs for •Alzheimer patients and seniors •who suffer from,other forms of • dementia. •ln March. 1993. an agreement between the.HADC and the county was established that stated the centre will pay• 51,400 per month, approximately S17.000- per year. to. cover operating costs' A reassessment of county properties done in 1997 reevaluated the building at 38.50 per square foot. This figure translates to a cost of over 380,000 per year..The•bill was retroactive•to Jan. 1, 1998. '"A 487 per cent increase is outrageous," said .Councillor Lin Steffler of Seaforth. - "his a non-profit, publicly funded organization." - In 1977. the HADC became a tenant of Hurunview neat Clinton. Swifter said that no rent was charged to the. 5N STEfftFR, Pew t See MUNICP UTUS. Pegs t - -, Your community newspaper since 1860