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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2003-10-29, Page 88 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, OCTOINIR 29, aoow Need To Store Something? SPACE AVAILABLE Seaforth Mini Storage —All Units Heated - 30 Mill Rd., Egrnondville 522-1043 or 522-1060 On November 10th ELECT LOU MALONEY Councillor for Seaforth Ward For * Reliable * Responsible * Dedicated and * Effective Leadership For A Ride To The Polls Call 527-2098 ROAD WATCH Road Watch Huron is a community initiative empowering people to save lives. If you observe an act of impaired or aggressive driving on the roads of Huron County please fill in . a citizen report form. Forms are available at the following locations: Bayfield • Bayfield Garage Blyth • Scrimgeour's Food Market Brussels • J.R.'s Gas Bar & Take Out Clinton • Moore's Knechtel Food Market • Wink's Gas Station Exeter • Hansen's Your Independent Grocer • Municipality of South Huron Hensall • Bob Erb's Garage Seaforth • Mac's Milk • Seaforth Food Market Zurich • Erb's Country Kitchen For more information call Huron County Health Unit 482-3416 or if long distance 1-877-837-6143 IGEN o FARMEQUIPMENT (1988) LTD. .JOHN Logan Farm Equipment has hired two new sales representatives. Randy McClure (right) and Bud Schoonderwoerd are both welcomed as additions to the staff of Logan Farm Equipment. They anxiously look forward to the opportunity of helping you find solutions to your agricultural and lawn and garden needs. Randy is prepared to work with you on lawn and garden, skid steer and commercial equipment needs. Bud will support our John Deere agricultural line of equipment and is looking forward to the opportunity of working with you for your requirements. All of us here at Logan wish success to Randy and Bud and ask our customers to join us in making them feel welcome. Call in today and ask for Brian, Bud, Ken, Kevin, Randy or Rob with an of our ui nt - a uirements. -1 11 Municipal Election 2003 Beaven will, fight rising property taxes Mark Beaven, his wife Stacy and their two children live on a small hobby farm in the north part of Grey Ward. He works in the agriculture sector with the Ontario Egg.Producers as the Field Operations Manager. He is a founding director of Friends of Hullet Wildlife Area, current member of Provincial Task Force on Nutrient Management, past member of Provincial Task Force on Developing a Wildlife Policy for Ontario and an auxiliary police officer for the Seaforth Police Department in 1993- 94. What inspired you to run for office in Huron East? Over the last few months, friends and family have asked me to get involved in municipal politics because they are tired of seeing their property taxes go up and their services go down. They know that I have the strength and will fight to put a stop to this trend. My inspiration is the knowledge that I have the support of these same friends and family in trying to make a difference. What are the personal strengths and experience you bring to the job of municipal representative? People that know me can attest that I am a person who is willing to stand up and have my voice heard. I am an effective public speaker who is capable of getting his point across and can build a consensus. With my extensive background in agriculture, I realize and understand the challenges that the farmers in Grey are experiencing. With my experience as an auxiliary police officer, I have an understanding of the policing situation in Huron -East. Finally, with my previous experience in all levels of government, I have learned how to get things accomplished when dealing with elected officials and administrations. What are the greatest challenges you see facing your ward? Huron East? How do you plan to meet them if elected? One of the biggest challenges that the residents of Grey ward are facing is Mark Beaven not having their voice heard. As a councillor, I will seek their opinions and ideas frequently and I will put them forward with a strong voice. Other challenges that Grey and Huron East are facing is our taxation levels. The residents I have talked to keep bringing up the fact that our property taxes keep going up and our services are going down. As someone who is fiscally responsible, I will be concentrating on reversing this trend. The residents of Grey also frequently comment on the dismal condition of our high tech services. If we want to increase business in Huron - East and attract new industry, we need our information highway to be paved, not a dirt trail as it is now. As councillor I plan on sitting down with all the stakeholders, both private and government agencies, and impress upon them that Huron -East needs support in improving our internet, telephone, and cellular capabilities. How do you plan to ensure council and its committees, such as the Seaforth community development trust, operate in as public and accountable a fashion as possible? This is one of my greatest concerns about municipal politics. There seems to be unwillingness by some town councils to include the public at large in developing policies and direction for their municipality. In terms of confidentiality, it is my understanding that the only matters that need to be discussed in private, out of the public eye, are personnel matters, and certain legal matters such as real estate. In terms of how council spends the tax dollars, council should be accountable to the rate payers.....in the end, it is their money, not council's. Huron East has been grappling with a deficit from the Tuckersmith Day Nursery and with a concern about providing support to daycare centres throughout the municipality. What are your views about the •municipality's responsibility in regards to daycare? Our community's children are our most valuable asset. By ensuring that they have a quality, healthy, educational upbringing is an investment in their future and our community's well being. The question is, how is this best achieved? Should the municipality be in the business of managing and running daycare facilities or should municipalities simply encourage private or non- profit organizations to do so? I personally think that the interests of the entire community would be best served if the municipality simply set aside some limited funds to be available to not-for-profit early childhood educational facilities, but not the municipality should not be in the actual business of running and managing a daycare facility. The funds would be awarded based on need, quality of educational program, and quality of care. The municipality would also work with the daycare facilities to ensure that they are taking advantage of the programs and funds offered by the other levels of government. So far the majority of residents of Grey that I have talked to, agree with my position on this issue. I believe that this will be one of the first challenges that the new council will have to tackle, so I plan on continuing to seek opinions and advice from the ratepayers to ensure that my direction is concurrent with theirs. What are your views about how well amalgamation is working for Huron East? How would you seek to improve the situation? I would like to commend the current council in their effort that they put forth in making Huron East as successful as it is. With that being said, I feel that there is still room for improvement. We need to make sure that all the geographical areas of the municipality feel a part of Huron East. We need to improve the communication of council's activities to all parts of the municipality. We need to make sure that the municipal employees have the tools and support to utilize the strengths of being one large united municipality versus five separate communities. By doing so, amalgamation will be the success once promised. What are your views about economic development in Huron East? Are you satisfied with the direction Huron East is going in attracting new businesses and promoting, what the area has to offer? One of the first hurdles to economic development that we have to overcome is our lack of high tech service. Once this i§ corrected, we still have work to do in attracting industry to Huron East. I am a big believer in that we, the residents 'of Huron East, are our biggest asset when it comes to economic development and we need to start to utilize this resource. I would encourage wide public consultation to come up with ideas on how to improve our position. This public consultation paired up with the expertise of our economic development officer would provide an excellent base to build upon. I envision Huron East being a municipality that has social and recreational events that bring potential new business owners to our area. I. envision Huron East being a municipality that incorporates innovative incentives in getting industry to relocate to our area.. I envision Huron East being a municipality that has the resources to assist existing businesses expand and grow. Van Beek wants to be voice, of Grey Debbie Van Beek has been married to her husband Ken for 25 years and has three children. They have lived in Grey for 15 years and she has been employed by Wescast Machining in Wingham for nine years, eight of which she has represented the employees on the union committee. For three years, she has been chair of the union committee and on the negotiating committee for three collective agreements. Re -Elect Bernie MacLellan for Deputy Mayor Debbie Van Beek What inspired you to run for office in Huron East? I have been contemplating running for council for a couple of years, and with the encouragement and support of family and friends, I decided that now was the time. The amalgamation of Huron East is the perfect time for fresh, new ideas and outlooks. I look forwarid to reviewing old and new issues that are facing Grey ward and Huron East to find solutions that benefit everyone. What are the personal strengths and experience you bring to the job of municipal representative? I believe that my years on these committees has given me the experience, personal strengths and sense of social justice needed to represent the people of Grey. My goal as councillor is to be the voice of the people of Grey, to ensure that the concerns and issues or our rural community are heard and to keep Grey a great place to live and work for their families and mine. What are the greatest challenges you see facing your ward? Huron East? How do you plan to meet them if elected? We have to ensure that all services that are provided for us with our tax dollars are intact, and that they grow and develop with the municipality. Without these •services we cannot expect to grow, we will not attract people or business to our municipality. Huron East has been grappling with a deficit from the Tuckersmith Day Nursery and with a concern about providing support to daycare centres throughout the municipality. What are your views about the municipality's responsiblity in regards to daycare? We need to support daycare centres and education programs. In times when both parents need to work, and in the rural communities, both parents may work outside the home and on the family farm, these programs are needed more than ever. What are your views about economic development in Huron East? Are you satisfied with the direction Huron East is going in attracting new businesses and promoting what the area hu to offer? The services and programs that a municipality offer is what attracts people and business and keeps them. , The flu shot. It's free. Now, it's easier. This year, many employers are offering workplace clinics to make it easier for you to get your free flu shot. As well, many local pharmacies are holding clinics so you can get the shot when you shop. We have all seen how serious infectious diseases can be. Getting your free flu shot is a good way to protect yourself, protect your family and protect the people you work with. You can also see your doctor or call for a clinic near you. 1 -866 -FLU -'N -YOU TTY 1-8004874669 www.health.gov.on.ca L(`1 's 13 <t1 1he M O r