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Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, January 28, 2009 - Page 3.
Councillors balk at 16.5 per cent increase in draft budget
BY PAT HALPIN
Special to the Sentinel
Bruce county councillors are balking at
a proposed 16.5 per cent increase in the
planning department's draft budget.
"I'm in shock," . said Warden and South
Bruce Mayor Bill Goetz.
Northern Bruce Peninsula Mayor Milt
McIver said the department is "not in the
real world" with its request.
The budget contains an aggressive Web-
site upgrade, director Chris LaForest told
county councillors at a session in Wiarton.
A strong web presence is crucial to • help
the county and its numerous small tourism
operators stay competitive in a market
where visitors plan their trip through the
Internet before they leave home.
"Our web is one the main mechanisms
for putting our voice out there," LaForest
said
Tough competition for shrinking tourist
dollars in an uncertainkeconomy makes it
urgent to have a strong website and pro-
motions, councillors were told.
"If we pull back we're going to hurt the
bottom line of the businesses we're pro-
moting%" said tourism manager Chris
Hughes.
He wants staff and resources to get the
website ready to take advantage of incen-
tive money that's expected to flow from
the provincial and federal governments.
"That blows the budget way out of pro-
portion," LaForest admitted about the
website and staffing request.
"And then if you start adding in
requests from the different community
groups for funding -- that all adds up to
approximately a 16 per cent increase."
The agriculture, tourism and planning
department gives grants to groups like the
Federation of Agriculture, economic
development, and environmental efforts
like Well Aware and the farm environ-
mental program.
Arran-Elderslie Mayor Ron- Oswald
predicted: the budget .wouldn't get a mover
and seconder as it stands, but not a Il coun
cillors were ready to condemn it.
".`Sometimes you have to spend money
to make money," :said Huron Kinloss
Mayor Mitch Twolan.
"It's a heli of an increase but in all fair-
ness we have to see what all the depart-
ments bring in (as draft budgets)," he said,
echoing South Bruce Peninsula Mayor
Gwen Gilbert.
In the end councillors asked the depart-
ment to prioritize and rework the num-
bers.
Social assistance numbers
The economic slowdown isn't showing
up yet in Bruce county's social assistance
numbers.
The caseload increased to 449 in
December from 419 in November, said
director Terry Sanderson.
"They're creeping up a little bit but it's
not a substantial increase by ,any means,"
he said.
The, social assistance caseload in. Bruce
goes up every winter as the result of sea-
sonal employment patterns.
"1 wouldn't be surprised if this is just an
expression of that," Sanderson said.
Still, he said increased demand for
social assistance could be on the horizon
and is preparing for that in the 2009 budg-
et.
The draft that went tocounty council
includes for a 12 per cent increase in.
caseload and a request for contract staff- to
deal with a heavier caseload:
Those measures have . yet to be
approved for the county's 2009 budget
bership and safe riding.
Grey bruce line
Improvements on the Grey Bruce coun-
ty line mean traffic problems for farmers
along the 26km route.
Tourist traffic has grown in volume and
spied with the road improvements to the
north -south corridor. At the same time,
slow-moving farm equipment is getting
bigger and wader, said Aaron Legge,
The Legge family farm is on the county
line just north of Scone, and has 1,000
trucks a year turning in and out o: the
lane.
Signs warning drivers to expect slow
moving vehicles could improve safety for
both farmers and travellers, Legge said.
The signs will let tourists know slow
moving vehicles use the road.
"Respect needs to be shown that farm-
ers have rights to use the new county line
as well as every other road in the county,"
Legge said.
"We just need people to know that
there's a lot of equipment on the road and
that safetyis very important to the family
operating the equipment."
The request was referred to the county
highways department.
cal
ATV riders in finice and : Grey want
approval for a new route.
So far the Bruce county Rail Trail is the
only legal trail available, spokesperson
Ray Gilbert told Bruce county's agricul-
ture, tourism and planning comnnttee. It
covers the south part of the county and
riders are eager for a proposed Sauble
Beach to Wiartonroute in the north.
The new trail would use municipal
roads, county forests, Ministry of Natural
Resources land and. private property.
There's already a municipal bylaw to
allow use of `South Bruce Peninsula side
roads, Gilbert said, and private landown-
ers are prepared; to sign agreements for the
ATV trail to cross. their land.
Bruce county has been working with the
clubs and trails network on the proposal,
but wants assurances on safety and liabil-
ity before it formalizes the tragi agree-
mt nt.
In return for approval to run the trail
through county and MNR land, Gilbert
said ATV riders will promote club mem-
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Submitted photo
Seen here from
left to right are
Dale Lougheed
and Rev. Perry
Chuipka cutting
the cake for the
open house, of the
recently renovated
Parish hall, which
was held at St.
Peter's Church on
Saturday, Jan. 17.
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