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Huron Expositor, 2009-07-15, Page 7_tt •v . + �� .. ... • --- t .. z0"0-1-, `.:t%�--a�1xK.. ��i."5e •aot��.7 .;., ... -'1 . . w •..t'Y4".111 .ryi1�¢�.ty►.... :'�OM." .... A.esA" hr'. v .. C •t..:_a-+ ,4,-x.4 Aor l+.t"[ �_"4' ` ].w. if.r'..•+-+.he.'..+ a r 4 . News • The Huron Expositor • July 15, 2009 Page 7 Months of debate ends after council chooses to purchase new instead of used firetruck Susan Iundertmark 41111111111111.11. After months of debate over whether Huron East should buy a new or used fire tanker for the Seaforth Fire Department; a 6-5 recorded vote decided in favour of a new tanker truck. While Huron East Fire Chief Marty. Bedard has argued for a new tanker truck all along, sev- eral councilors have argued that a used tanker would do the job just as well. Deputy -Mayor Bernie MacLel- lan reiterated at the July 7 council meting that council needs to take some of the pressure off of the bud- get by buying a used tanker. "The idea was to break up the purchasing year and get something to move us out five to 10 years be- fore buying another tanker truck," he -said. "It's- easier to afford and council would appreciate not hav- ing to buy newtrucks for the next three years in a row," he said. - Bedard brought back further research on a $73,000 U.S. 1999 GMC tanker as requested during council's June 16 meeting, along with information about a $78,000 U.S. 2002 GMC with a Caterpiller diesel engine and a $82,000 U.S. 2002 Freightliner FL70 with a Cummins diesel engine. All of the trucks were located in Alabama and all of them have to have the fire `equipment added on to the calk and chassis since they have beth used as delivery trucks. Bedard's report included recom- mendations from Seaforth mechan- ic Murray Kelly to stay away from the GMC trucks since parts would be hard to find and Cat engines are hard to service since they require specialized tools. "Murray feels strongly that buy- ing used vehicles is not the way to go," said Bedard's report, which Also recommended the Freightliner truck out of the threeresented. Grey Coun. Alvin McLellan said that other mechanics could have different opinions. "With all due .respec ;Xl'd have talked to a heavy truck mechanic," he said, adding that there are a lot of trucks on the road with Cat en- gines and a lot of people driving ve- hicles they bought in the southern US. Tuckersmith Coun. Larry McGrath said that if the trucks from the U.S. are cabs and chassis- es with the fire equipment added, a similar situation could be found in Canada. -"Is there anyone on this side of the border with a used cab and chas- sis? There are companies that we deal with that fabricate. If there's a company that does exactly what this one does on this side of the border, it would make more sense to do that," he said. Seaforth Coun. Joe Steffler said he was afraid of the emissions that could come from a U.S. truck. "And, does it make sense. to put new equipment on an old chassis?" he asked. Brussels Coun. Frank Stretton said it was worthwhile to look for .two more weeks to see if a Canadi- an cab and chassis could be found. "Two weeks isn't going to change anything," agreed McLellan, who made a motion to table the issue but the motion was defeated. MacLellan asked about the ex- perience of fire departments in Brucefield, Clinton and Blyth who bought used tankers and had the fire equipment added by a local company. But, Huron East building inspec- tor Paul Josling, who is also fire chief in Blyth, said he's heard that all of them had problems such as corrosion and electrical problems. "There is merit in buying used vehicles but we don't want to get stuck with a nightmare," respond- ed MacLellan.. "There could be another compa- ny out there - we just haven't re- searched it," said McGrath. A motion was passed to tender for a new fire tanker. Voting in favour were Mayor Joe Seili, Brussels Cuun. David Blaney, Grey Coun. Orval Bauer, McKillop Coun. Andrew Flowers, Tucker - smith Coun. Les Falconer and Sea - forth Coun. Joe Steffler.' Voting against were Grey Coun. Alvin McLellan, Seaforth Coun. Bob Fisher, Tuckersmith Coun. Larry , McGrath, Deputy -Mayor Bernie MacLellan and Brussels Coun. Frank Stretton. McKillop Coun. Bill Siemon was absent. Ontario's adoption records are now open. visit www.ontario.ca/adoptioninfo Effective June 1, 2009, Ontario's adoption records are open. This means that adopted adults and birth parents can apply for post -adoption birth information from birth records and adoption orders. An adopted adult, 18 years of age or older, can now apply for a copy of his or her original birth registration and adoption order. A birth parent can receive information from the }birth registration . and adoption order of the child that was placed for adoption once that child turns 19 years old. If you want your identifying information kept private, and if the adoption order was made before September 1, 2008, adopted adults and birth parents can file a disclosure veto. r To learn more about your right to information and privacy regarding adoption, visit www.ontario.ca/adoptioninfo or call 1-800-461-2156 (TTY 416.325-3408). Paid for by the Government of Ontario. As" Ontario •