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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-04-03, Page 4Page 4 Tires -Advocate, April 3, 1991 Cook -out - The 1st Grand Bend Cub Pack met at the Pinery Provincial Park to complete their Winter cuo- bing Badges. Seen here cooking are Chris Rood, Dean Brown, Mike Gutsell, Brendon Martins and Ryan Depapp. As well as building firer•, the cubs had to name three constellations, three winter birds, recog- nize three trees in winter and practice winter first aid. Recycling Association boasts of increased efficiency, and shows profit for year GRAND BEND - According to the report of the Bluewater Recy- cling Association, 1990 was a good year for making local environmen- tal programs more viable. Both the costs of administering the blue box collection system and the actual collection and processing of recyclable materials came in un- der budget by nearly $200,000. Part of this savings came from the increased efficiency of the pro- gram. While Bluewater caused controversy a year ago by asking member municipalities to be credi- tors in a capital expansion program only months after the Association first opened its doors, recycling co- ordinator Francis Veilleux's report suggests that move has paid off. He points out that in 1990 Blue - water was handling recyclables from up to 23,365 households, five times the number who started with the program in September 1989. Nevertheless, new sorting equip- ment has virtually doubled the effi- ciency of the operation. Those numbers will continue to increase as more and more municipalities, including Biddulph Township and Exeter, join the program. Bluewater, currently the largest multi -county recycling program in North-Ame•ica, boasts to have di- verted some 2,349 tonnes of materi- al from local landfill sites and to have returned that material to man- ufacturers for re -use. The Association has also expand- ed its waste recovery programs into 176 businesses and 50 schools. Ex- eter's Nabisco was one of those companies - one which has seen a 70 percent reduction in waste through recycling and is being her- alded as a model for other Nabisco plants around the world. County issues report on municipal restructuring By Fred Groves GODERICH - Although county restructuring has been shelved by the provincial government, Huron County has gone ahead with a de- tailed study which was presented Thursday afternoon to county council. The 200 -page document was compiled by a research team com- prised of clerk -treasurer Nigel Bellchamber, Dr. Gary Davidson, director of planning and develop- ment and the planning department. It is a background report and the basis from which the provision of municipal services and current county -local government structure is evaluated. The study also serves as a vehicle to encourage and fa- cilitate public participation in de- fining the most appropriate form of government for the county. Copies of the report were given to all county councillors and mu- nicipal councillors will be receiv- ing their copies very shortly. Also, copies will be placed in the county libraries for the public to view. Four information meetings have Board of Education worried been set up for both the public and the local councils. On April 11, at 7:30 p.m. at Stephen Central Pub- lic School, those from Hay, Ste- phen and Usborne Townships as well as Exeter, Hensall and Zurich are welcome to auend. Other dates are; April 10, at the Goderich Township Hall in Holmesville; Axil 24 at Tumber- ry Central Public School and April 25 at the Seaforth District High School. Exeter reeve Bill Mickle was on the study steering committee and he urges all municipalities to take a good look at the study. "It's taken a long time and a lot of effort. It is the basis for any di- rection we're going to take. I hope your councils consider this," said Mickle to his fellow county coun- cilors. "The study attempts to determine the best way to deal with social, ec- onomic, environmental and physi- cal development policy into the next century. Prior to the recent provincial election, the Liberals had requested that all counties take a look at the direction in which they want to Igo. It was speculated if restructuring did happen, reeves would be known as mayors and those towns that now have mayors would have to have their heads of council (mayor) sit on county council. Also, it was being proposed that there would be less representatives on county council; currently there are 32 representing the 26 munici- palities. But all that has been put on the backbumer by the New Democrats. However, Huron County warden Jim Robinson, the reeve of Hensall said his county decided to go ahead with the study anyway. "We just questioned how long be- fore the next government brought up restructuring. We were already six months into the study," said Robinson. He said there about 11 other counties which have followed through with their studies. "I don't know what the status of the others (counties) . are. Noby about London annexation HYDE PARK - Education - the service area that claims about two thirds of municipal spending, has no voice at the annexation discus- sion table, say the Middlesex County Board of Education. Mu - officials are quick to point to the affect of education on the tax levy but they have afforded educa- tion little significance in the annex- ation debate on whether and by how much London should increase its boundaries. The Middlesex County Board of Education trustees and administra- tion say they feel powerless be- cause they are unable to speak for the interests of the people that they are charged with supporting - the County's children, parents, teachers and ratepayers. "We believe that the City of 1 xi - don objected strenuously to uset- ting a seat at the onginal fact- finding sessions and the Municipal Act doesn't allow for a board of ed- ucation to have a seat at annexation negotiations", says Marie May, Chair of the Board's Annexation Committee. "Since we don't have one, we can only hope that the mu- nicipal officials who are there will speak for us." May says that all County ratepay- ers should be asking about what will happen to the kids, not just to sewers, water, roads and waste management. "They can ask the Board, but we simply don't know, so they will have to look to their municipal and provincial representatives for an- swers about boundary lines and their impact on the future of educa- tion." Board Chair, Keith Kaiser points out that provincial officials have in- dicated that amalgamation would only be at the desire or agreement of both Middlesex and London Boards. The decision would be based on quality of education as well as prudent use of tax dollars. "Our worst fear is that extensive annexation will force amalgama- tion because the Targe commercial tax base will be last", says Ted An- dersen, Director of Education. An- other scenario would force Mid- dlesex not only to give up three ele- mentary schools in Lambeth and Westminster, among others, but also would take a large building such as Medway High School in Arva leaving many students with no County school. Anderson fears a major reduction of the Board's size will lead to few- er programs in some schools and decreased viability of the system. "Extensive annexation could lead to unconscionable busing to cen- tralized programs and destroy the viability of smaller schools", An- derson says. He also questions if the London Board, four times the student population of Middlesex, would look enthusiastically upon the special nature of the County's far-flung rural schools. Donna Mcllmoyle, Vice -chair, points to the County experience with other joint London and Mid- dlesex services as a forewarning of what could happen to education if Middlesex and London are amalga- mated. "Often County residents feel that their needs come dead last, behind those of residents of the City. Lon- don's overwhelming • advantage with representation by population could sweep over local education issues like a wave." "If the parents and ratepayers think that annexation is Just a roads, utilities and social services issue, they're wrong. The time to ask questions and demand answers about the fate of education in the annexation talks is now, even though it appears there will be no negotiated agreement and a legislat- ed settlement will take several months." has to do it, it was the previous govemment that brought it in," said Robinson. But he said there is a reason why Huron County proceeded with the study. "We decided we wanted to con- trol our own destiny. We don't want to be told by the province you have to restructure." While the study will be viewed by the public, Robinson doesn't think they will become to con- cerned about what is found in the study. "Until you start drawing lines on boundaries. There won't be any re- action, right now it's just services." After the public,' local councils and municipal staffs have viewed the study the steering committee will be making a presentation to county council. The whole process should be done by November, be- fore the next municipal election. "It's not the intent to bring a rec- ommendation in November and have a report on it. Council may want to do more work on it," said Dr. Davidson. "This process is based on making a recommendation to county coun- cil and council wilt make the deci- sion." The study not only takes a look at the present conditions of the county but glimpses into the future. For example, the total • • ' lation of Huron County in 1' ; • was 56,000. The study proposes that will increase to 70,000 by 2030. Huron County's population is be- coming more urbanized. The urban population is increasing while rural is declining. The five towns in the at the Pinery - David Robertson and Chris Gielen of the 1st Grand Bend Cub Pack built their fire as part of their Winter Cubbirlq `Badge. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • SALE ENDS SATURDAY D1,Ih..VP FABRICS Home Decorating 2O% off« Large Selection to choose from • Drapery Hardware 20' off 397 MAiN ST., EXETER PHONE 235-2842 Hours: Mon. - Thurs. 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. FRI. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat. 9.6 p.m. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • i county recorded a 6.73 percent in- crease while the five incorporated villages recorded above average population growth. Exeter, Zurich, Brussels, Gode- rich, Bayfield, Wingham and Sea - forth have limited land available for future urban development. It ap- pears as though future development will continue to take place around the fringe areas where public ser- vices such as water and sewer are unavailable. The efficiency of the Bluewater plant has risen so that each worker can now process 453 items for re- cycling, up from the 166 items achieved in 1989. This has been accomplished mainly through the purchase or construction of auto- mated sorting equipment. When the plant first opened, steel and alu- minum were sorted magnetically, with all other items sorted by hand. New equipment and technology has now made it possible to separate the plastic from the aluminum and automatically send it to hoppers ready for baling and shipping. Veilleux's report also says that the overall furancial picture for the Bluewater Recycling Program has changed dramatically over the past few months. All loans have been paid in full, receivables were turned into cash, and the overall equity of the operation increased from $300,775 to $814,728. In fact, the plant was able to show a surplus of $78,727 at year end, which will be reinvested in the program, mainly to upgrade and replace existing equipment. St. James Cemetery, Clandeboye Spring clean-up begins on April 1st, 1991. Those people wishing to remove their win- ter wreaths should do so by April 15th as they will be removed and disposed of by the Cemetery Staff after that date. Artificial flowers are permitted Nov. 1st to April 15th. H&R Block keeps up with the changes. We know the income tax laws and the forms inside and out. That's our business. H&R BLOCK Canada's Tax Team. Put us to work for you! 476 Main St. South, Exeter Devon Building 235.1153 9:00 10 6:00, Mon. to Fri. Saturday 9 - 5 Owned and operated by Carl Kingston, Certified General Accountant • We've reduced our 15 -piece bucket. In price only. 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