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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2005-04-13, Page 1Shuron Medd, Associate Broker M.VA. Appraiser Visit: mtsca for information of Iktinp In Huron/Perth IS4 \l.un 1t.. 1. 1,Aim rill ( 51')) 527-0560 Discount Mtn tge Canada Iuv. Joy Finlayson & Sharon Medd Mortgage Consultants "Finally, a company that starts with a discolor AtIOUWAIINIP Best GA -C: Rates B.Math Doug Elliott,Elliott,CF3.% P. Franca FlamerWant ac�..d 3.9i' Al awl d bwhat 4.1� aApni 12.2U atpct cts al am Wednesday, April 13, 2005 $1 .25 inducles GST tlwsw• 10111011111111111110 NM. & ..imams.. wr..w am.a i =:IE%IjI 26 Main St., Seaforth 527-2222 Cats continue to plague homeowners A second Seaforth resident, Marlyn Gray, is complaining to Huron East council about problems with cats on her property, Tuckersmith Coun. Larry McGrath told council at its meeting last Tuesday. "This time, there are scratches on her car and a dead cat in her backyard," he said. Council has been grappling with the idea of whether there's a need for a cat bylaw since receiving a complaint from Joan Lubbers, of Main Street, Seaforth wrote to council in February about an excessive amount of cat droppings in her yard. Since council provided her with a live trap, Lubbers has caught a number of cats, which have been taken to the Seaforth vet clinic and given away to "suitable homes," reported Huron East Clerk - Administrator Jack McLachlan at the meeting. On a few occasions, neighbours have come and released a trapped cat before Lubbers could take it to the vet clinic and has begun locking them in her garage "so they can't be reclaimed," said McLachlan. "If the cats are claimed at the vet clinic by the owner, we have to give them back when they pay the fine," he said. Mayor Joe Seili said Lubbers showed him a bucket full of cat droppings she's picked up on her property and Seili advised her to dump it back on the neighbour's lawn. "I told her to return it and you can put that in the paper," Seili told the Expositor at the meeting. "I wish there was a way to come back on the owners because cats are starting to cost the municipality a small fortune," he said. Grey Coun. Mark Beaven agreed, reiterating that it's not fair that dog owners have to pay a licence to own a dog while cat owners do not. "I pay $150 for the right to own three mutts and when they go loose, 1 go looking for them immediately," he said. Jack McLachlan said he's not yet calculated how much dealing with cat problems in town is costing the municipality. MOM Results from the 2005 Mitchell Music Festival ... Page 6 growin' Dog canoe rally raises $1,500 for chairty... page 16 Jason Middleton photo Soloist Andrea Barstad, of Stratford, was the featured soloist with the Blyth Festival Orchestra at a benefit concert for two Seaforth teens who died in a crash. Benefit concert honours teens, Giller and Ash By Jason Middleton Expositor Staff A benefit concert which featured the Blyth Festival Orchestra honoured the memory of two Seaforth teenagers who died in a head- on collision on March 8. Under the direction of conductor Sean Kim, the orchestra performed their Spring Concert at Mitchell Main Street United Church on Sunday afternoon. Some of the proceeds from the concert went to charity in the memory of Nicholas Giller and Thomas Ash. Both teens died in the March 8 accident just outside St. Columban, east of Seaforth. "We hope the passionate imagery of the music will help release some of your pain," the program handed out at the door read. On the evening of March 8, Bokhout said, three members of the orchestra were travelling to a practice when they saw the accident take place. See ORCHESTRA, Page 2 Huron East debates fate of $800,000 windfall By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor While Huron East council debated what to do with an $800,000 windfall from the province, it will wait for the April 19 meeting and recommendations from administration before making a decision. Huron East received an extra $881,832 from the province through a one- time grant and an increased grant under a new provincial funding formula for municipalities, announced recently. The one- time grant of $429,000 is a reconciliation of Community Reinvestment Funding (CRF) from 2003 and 2004 and the remaining $452,832 is extra annual funding under the new Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF), that replaces CRF. Deputy -Mayor Bernie MacLellan argued against lowering the 2005 budget's levy any further with the extra money. "I appreciate we got a windfall but I'm not sure we should adjust our budget. We got it (the 2005 budget) down to less than five per cent," he said. MacLellan added that putting the extra revenue in the reserve fund will allow council to return to annual increases of two per cent. Brussels Coun. David Blaney agreed, adding that first council should use the money to erase its 2005 deficit of $70,000. Grey Coun. Mark Beaven argued that council should be able to afford a zero per cent increase next year with the extra Qu oted '1 app we windf I'm no we s adjus Deputy Bernie M reciate gota all but t sure hould st our et,'-- -Mayor acLellan revenue. "Because we've been shortchanged by the province, we had to raise the levy by five per cent for two years and I'd like to commit to a zero per cent increase next year, not two per cent," he said. Beaven said anything over the cost of living is a high tax increase and that the extra revenue from the province amounts to a 12 per cent increase in revenue. Brussels Coun. Frank Stretton agreed, adding that See COUNCIL, Page 2' Hensall boy with autism has therapy cut off Parents paying for therapy themselves would be facing $40,000 and $60,000 a year By Jason Middleton ExiSositor Staff When Hensall-resident Kevin Adair's autistic son, Matthew, turned six years old in January, his funding from the provincial government for a costly childhood autism therapy was cut off. Adair said his son's transition from receiving the treatment has been very difficult. When the routine is lost, Adair said, the behaviour starts to become an issue again. Although Adair said his son is a "cool" and "charismatic" child, many children with autism are more temperamental. "Some of them become very violent and without that routine they have fits of rage and they can be very, very difficult to deal with," said Adair. While receiving the treatment, Adair said that they noticed a difference in Matthew. Adair said that his ability to stick to a task, make eye contact and to be social with others increased with the therapy. Since discontinuing the treatment, Adair said that he hasn't noticed a huge difference in his son, but thinks that he could see the changes in the near future. People with autism are hypersensitive. Things such as levels of sound, light and contact with people can be painful to a person with autism. Last week, the provincial government said that it would fight a court decision that would lift the age limits on costly autism therapy. The treatment, which can cost close Matthew Adair Beach Party 2005 April 25 - April 30 TANNING .SESSIONS from $2.00 each Check out our Great Special on Tanning Sessions TOTAL IMAGE II Salon 59 Main St., Seaforth 527-0780 Enter our Great Daily Draws! to anywhere from $30,000 to $80,000 a year per child, is currently only available to children between the ages of two and five. "What's happening is these families are being forced to either come up with the funding themselves which can be anywhere between $40,000 to $60,000 a year or one of them has to lose their job," Adair said. Kim Souch, president of the Huron -Perth chapter of the Autism Society of Ontario, said that once a child hits the age of six many services drop off. "I guess that's the crux of the whole issue. For a lot of parents they're just starting to see the differences that are happening with their children," said Souch. With 20 years' experience working with families with special needs See PROVINCE, Page 2