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Home My WebLink AboutLakeshore Advance, 2012-06-13, Page 4Request to investigate health concerns beyond LFN committee's mandate, says county council Susan Hundertmark QM' Agency A request to broaden the mandate for Iluton County council's low frequency noise committee was denied at last Wednesday's committee of the whole meeting. (;oun, Bill Menton (Ilur nn East) said he'd made the request so that the 1.1:N committee could investigate any nega- tive health effects caused by industrial wind turbines, "it's to prevent any of our constituents from harm, [(anyone gets sick from any effect of a wind turbine, that's what we've set up the committee to deal with so we have a duty to put this forward," he said, The request asked to "broaden the mandate for the [,EN committee to include impacts and other health issues from wind turbines" However, Cour. 1)eb Shewfelt (Goderich) disagreed, stating low fre- quency noise, not the investigation of health issues, was the reason the com- mittee was set up, Shewfelt said the committee should just be studying LEN, not wind turbines or solar installations. "'1'o add wind turbines is a red her- ring," he said. "Low frequency noise is an issue onto itself" agreed Coun. Neil Vincent (North Huron), adding the request "changes the intent of the 1EN committee" "Unless there's a panel of doctors on there, i don't know what they'd do for health issues," added Coun. George Robertson (South I Iurcn), Colin. Briton Barnim (Central Huron), chair of the 1.FN committee, explained that members want to amend the man- date because it's difficult to talk about low frequency noise without talking about wind turbines. It would be nice to have in our man- date that we can say the word 'wind tur- bine' without having to reel everybody back in again," he said, Conn. Bill Dowson (Bluewater) pointed out that Huron County council is going to have to spend more than the $50,00( budgeted on the LFN commit- tee if it is going to look at the health Grand Bend Canada Day Celebrations /I Flreworl� Friday, July 1, 2011 '` "d(('(" 11ean - afi day Noxa - &news Giant Children's Mural: Om* Haim Mia Ow* 10da ems point raa sound. Antique 1. Vintage Vehicle Show 8 Shine: Sall diamond. Calladliii of raw and ve ifl & *Maga Noon - 330p111 Ruff a Tumble Dog Show: MI mad Eider saw Meeh la sola plass and Ow donna d wart In the PMMa► 4p101 Parade: Moil IllrNt, SjNaa -10pea Live Entertainment: Mob Om& buds. Mash U hod Oda at Ipa. Fti►eworksl Mob On& gats ammo 7!1,3'' 1__u,1 wistewr L 111 PNrMno11111 oan�dian Canadian t tatlteee Iburism.c m fa111. billill VON 1.1 ,,t.tv S'norv, effects of wind turbines. "If we're going to do a health study, we'd need to look at mil- lions of dollars," he said. Running for warden Coun. Bernie Maclellan (Huron East) announced at the June 15 committee of the whole meeting for lluron county coun- cil that he wilt be running for Huron County's warden this year. "I've been asked to run for warden every year sine my sec- ond year on council and this year, I'm in a position to do so. It's time to take the next step" he said. "My peers are continuously asking nu• to chair various con- mittees and they know I show respect to councillors around the room and make sure everyone gets heard" Need for affordable housing An 18.7 per cent increase on the waiting list for the 415 hous- ing units available in Huron County is showing a need for - more affordable housing in the region, Social Services Adminis- trator Dave Overboe told county councillors at their committee of the whole meeting on lune 15, "Perhaps it's just a sign of the tunes because it's happening across the province. Wait lists are higher than they've ever been before," added housing Services Manager Barb Hall. Overboe's report showed a waiting list in April 2011 of 279, compared to the usual number of 215-220. Coun. Deb Shewfelt (Goderich) expressed concern about the waiting list, asking if there was some way of encourag- ing private enterprise to build more affordable housing In Huron County. "}gas capitalist society gone to sleep or do they no longer want to be involved in the rental industry anymore?" he asked. Overboe responded that while private affordable housing might take off some pressure on the county's rent -geared -to -income housing, a recent survey of mar- ket rental rates in Huron showed that rent is "relatively low in many areas" "Private enterprise is not goug- ing on rent," he said, adding that the county has been considering an idea of subsidizing the rent for eligible clients. If we subsidized the rent, landlords could still realize a rea- sonable profit" said Overboe. As well, his report showed that the month of April shows 3.2 per "It's prevent any of our constituents from harm. If anyone gets sick from any effect of a wind turbine, that's what we've set up the committee to deal with so we have a duty to put this forward." — Cvrin, Bill Sic'nron cent of renters are in arrears, creeping up from an average rate of 2.2 per cent. Overboe added that numbers do not indicate a large number of Huron County families in "dire straits" "'They are not homeless or liv- ing on the streets. 'They are using living with family or in facilities with rents higher than they can afford. Some are waiting for very specific locations, like the ground floor facing east. But, they are on the list, so they do qualify," he said. landlord Tenant Act concerns Huron County council is requesting a sleeting with the provincial Minister of }lousing at this summer's AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) conference to discuss the Land- lord Tenant Act, after a motion made at the lune 15 committee of the whole meeting. While discussing the need for more affordable housing in the Huron, Coun. Ben Van Diepenbeek (ACW) pointed out that many farmers are leery about renting their empty farm- houses because of the additional expenses caused by "professional renters." Ile said he's received com- plaints from farmers who have been forced to do over $10,000 in repairs to upgrade their houses, even when the renters haven't paid their rent or utility bills for four or five months. Coun, Jim Ginn (Central Huron) agreed that he has received many similar com- plaints in Central Huron and added that the Landlord Tenant Act is in favour of the renter over the landlord" "is there anything we can do to slut a little more fairness into it? Many farmers would sooner tear down their house than put up with renting it out," he said. Huron County (:AO Larry Adams said the same issue comes ftp at Meetings he attends about the lack of control a I'Ind- lord has if "things (urn sour" and suggested a first step might be bringing up the issue at the AM() convention in August. "'this is an issue that has come up across the nation," he said, Coun. Bill Slenton (Huron East) added that many landlords would rather turn apartments into condominiums than keep theist as apartments because the Landlord 'Tenant Act limits rent increases to three per cent. "The average landlord is behind the eight -ball and has to turn his apartments into condos to get more money" he said, Siemon presented the motion that 1 iuron County meet with the Minister of 1 lousing at the August AM() convention, which was passed by committee of the whole. Upping the benchmark Huron County councillors agreed to increase the bench- mark subsidy to Huron Sands Non -Profit liomes at their June 15 committee of the whole meet- ing, but not before Coun. Deb Shewfelt asked for reassurance that the organization is getting its finances in order. "I'm against giving them this $1,200 until they show how they're going to break even, If they do, we'll give them their $1,200," he said. Huron Sands Non -Profit Homes Inc. is a 35 -unit non- profit townhouse complex in Goderich with corporation status and a hoard of directors. The board retains a property man- agement company to manage all aspects of the complex. Housing Services Manager Barb I gall recommended increas- ing the benchmark subsidy from the county from $14,444,31 to $15,644,31 after determining that the current benchmark was set 20 years ago. Hall said she has been sleeting with the Huron Sands managers for a year and a half to talk about the weakening financial position of the organization since 2008 and its accumulated three-year deficit. CONTINUE > PHAGE 15