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Huron Expositor, 2007-12-12, Page 2Page 2 The Huron Expositor • December 12, 2007 News Selective Investments pleads guilty to charges Maplewood Manor tenants displaced by closure must still apply for compensation From Page 1 themselves," Mencarelli told the court, adding compensatipn ranging from $2,000 to $4,000 per resident was not paid. "She felt she was at the end of her rope in regard to her financial respon- sibility," he said. Maplewood Manor is no longer in operation and the building has been taken over by a mortgage company trying to sell the property, court was told. Mencarelli said Sobottka was told corporation," he said. Mencarelli told the court that while Sobottka showed remorse and checked the area to discover if rooms were available for Maplewood residents, she did not take the second step neces- sary to arrange for housing for them. As well, she did not give the neces- sary 120 days' notice or the three months of compensation required under legislation. "People were required to fend for the penalty would be minimal but that a general deterrent was neces- sary. "Other people out there need to know they just can't close down places without giving proper notice and the notice was very short - a matter of weeks," he said. The fine involved $5,000 for each of six counts for a total of $30,000, which she has six months to pay. The payment will go to Huron County's provincial offences budget. Residents of Maplewood Manor who were displaced by the closure must apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for compensation. Dave Grech, of the investigation and enforcement unit of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said the Landlord and Tenant Board could set a hearing date and the tenants could appear before an adjudicator in Goderich. "All 21 tenants can file," he said fol- lowing the court decision. Environmental proposals go nowhere at Huron. East council Susan Hundertmark Huron East councillors sug- gesting some environmental- ly -friendly measures that could be taken by council were shut down by their fel- low councillors at their Dec. 4 meeting. Deputy -Mayor Bernie MacLellan suggested that Huron East council be taking some "small stepping stones" towards offering public trans- portation during a discussion about the provincial gas tax that goes to municipalities with public transit. And, Seaforth Coun. Bob Fisher made a suggestion Huron East follow the lead of a municipality in Manitoba and San Francisco where plastic shopping bags are now banned. In April, Leaf Rapids, Man., became Canada's first munic- ipality to ban single -use plas- tic shopping bags. In the first discussion, Mayor Joe Seili told council that small urban areas are trying to get the province to provide the same two cents per litre to them as goes to big urban centres like Toronto. "We're getting none of the provincial gas tax here but I can't see us putting in public trans- portation for Huron East," he said. Bob Fisher MacLellan responded that a busload of kids transported to the Vanastra Recreation Centre every Saturday might be a popular idea with par- ents and a way to cash in on the provincial gas tax that is going to municipalities with public transportation. "You'd have a lot more peo- ple using the pool and there are probably elderly people who could use transportation as well. It might be worth look- ing into," he said. But, Seili told him Huron County council is looking at public transportation for seniors so Huron East shouldn't bother. "Let the county pay for it, not us," he said. After the meeting, Seili said plans by the county to provide transportation for seniors hasn't gone past the idea stage yet. "We haven't really started to look at it yet," he said. Later in the meeting, Fisher asked if Huron East could ban plastic shop- ping bags as a way to make a difference for the environ- ment locally. "Can we do something like that? Do we have an environ- mental plan for the future? We could do more in our area and now, the prece- dent has been set," he said, referring to municipalities who have banned plastic bags. 'Do we have an environmental plan for the future?'-- Seaforth Coun. fib it )`.4".4:4A.;t..,.** kb.' tri r� a .d,u. L+.ar 4011 14 $M4 4:00141 K4* A" Wim" riw I. K..a. MacLellan added that Mid -Huron Landfill is sending out notices that everyone needs to use clear plastic bags by September so recyclables can't be hidden in garbage bags. He added the bags must also be biodegradable. McKillop Coun. Bill Siemon said he didn't see the point of banning plastic shopping bags as long as people recycle them but Fisher responded that plastic bags can only be recycled once. Seaforth Coun. Joe Steffler said he thought banning plas- tic shopping bags would cre- ate some hardship for local merchants. "The small businessman is having a tough enough time now without adding costs to them," he said. But, Fisher asked how ban- ning plastic shopping bags would add to the costs of business owners. "It saves them money if they don't have to buy the bags," he said. "Let's really check this out before making up bylaws," responded Steffler. 0100, ID 1 , \ID )oui \ 1 r' zzj Our 39th Anniversaryy ( it it P ` a• .% . O C RISTMAS OPEN OUSE Join us this weekend and browse through our two festive floors of fine furniture. See our new collection of leather or fabric sofas and chairs, prints, lamps, mirrors, rockers, recliners, tables and so much more. You can also arrange both layaways for Christmas and pre -Christmas deliveries. Join us! THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13: 9 am - 8 pm FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14: 'TIL 8 pm SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15: 9 am - 5 pm Discount equivalent to PST and GST — During the Open House PAY 4 NO TAX ..••• NO PST•NO GST on any purchase 'excluding floor coverings / D Veal'a -01'16'4 �r L O39th Anniversary m G -iy kek -----_� �'FINE FURNITURE & AC) I ,.1-... r j 1, .,.., 11Frodeg OPEN 6 DAYS A WEEK 9-5:30, FRIDAY EVENINGS 'TIL 8 PM, SATURDAYS CLOSING AT 5 PM ALBERT ST., CLINTON • 519-482-9505 the penalty would be minimal but that a general deterrent was neces- sary. "Other people out there need to know they just can't close down places without giving proper notice and the notice was very short - a matter of weeks," he said. The fine involved $5,000 for each of six counts for a total of $30,000, which she has six months to pay. The payment will go to Huron County's provincial offences budget. Residents of Maplewood Manor who were displaced by the closure must apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for compensation. Dave Grech, of the investigation and enforcement unit of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said the Landlord and Tenant Board could set a hearing date and the tenants could appear before an adjudicator in Goderich. "All 21 tenants can file," he said fol- lowing the court decision. Environmental proposals go nowhere at Huron. East council Susan Hundertmark Huron East councillors sug- gesting some environmental- ly -friendly measures that could be taken by council were shut down by their fel- low councillors at their Dec. 4 meeting. Deputy -Mayor Bernie MacLellan suggested that Huron East council be taking some "small stepping stones" towards offering public trans- portation during a discussion about the provincial gas tax that goes to municipalities with public transit. And, Seaforth Coun. Bob Fisher made a suggestion Huron East follow the lead of a municipality in Manitoba and San Francisco where plastic shopping bags are now banned. In April, Leaf Rapids, Man., became Canada's first munic- ipality to ban single -use plas- tic shopping bags. In the first discussion, Mayor Joe Seili told council that small urban areas are trying to get the province to provide the same two cents per litre to them as goes to big urban centres like Toronto. "We're getting none of the provincial gas tax here but I can't see us putting in public trans- portation for Huron East," he said. Bob Fisher MacLellan responded that a busload of kids transported to the Vanastra Recreation Centre every Saturday might be a popular idea with par- ents and a way to cash in on the provincial gas tax that is going to municipalities with public transportation. "You'd have a lot more peo- ple using the pool and there are probably elderly people who could use transportation as well. It might be worth look- ing into," he said. But, Seili told him Huron County council is looking at public transportation for seniors so Huron East shouldn't bother. "Let the county pay for it, not us," he said. After the meeting, Seili said plans by the county to provide transportation for seniors hasn't gone past the idea stage yet. "We haven't really started to look at it yet," he said. Later in the meeting, Fisher asked if Huron East could ban plastic shop- ping bags as a way to make a difference for the environ- ment locally. "Can we do something like that? Do we have an environ- mental plan for the future? We could do more in our area and now, the prece- dent has been set," he said, referring to municipalities who have banned plastic bags. 'Do we have an environmental plan for the future?'-- Seaforth Coun. fib it )`.4".4:4A.;t..,.** kb.' tri r� a .d,u. L+.ar 4011 14 $M4 4:00141 K4* A" Wim" riw I. K..a. MacLellan added that Mid -Huron Landfill is sending out notices that everyone needs to use clear plastic bags by September so recyclables can't be hidden in garbage bags. He added the bags must also be biodegradable. McKillop Coun. Bill Siemon said he didn't see the point of banning plastic shopping bags as long as people recycle them but Fisher responded that plastic bags can only be recycled once. Seaforth Coun. Joe Steffler said he thought banning plas- tic shopping bags would cre- ate some hardship for local merchants. "The small businessman is having a tough enough time now without adding costs to them," he said. But, Fisher asked how ban- ning plastic shopping bags would add to the costs of business owners. "It saves them money if they don't have to buy the bags," he said. "Let's really check this out before making up bylaws," responded Steffler.