Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-12-04, Page 1Car ONlieg By Appointment Exeter Collision 235-0411 • Gaiser-Kneale Insurance • Check our rates on Travel Insurance 235-2420 Serving South Huron Inside RAT Revolt Against Taxes success for merchants page 7 Start Begins at South Huron page 13 Basketball Juniors win consolation page 21 • n � : North Middlesex & Lambton Since 1873 Wednesday, December 4, 1991 75 cents $1.500 per lot Development charges bylaw gets go-ahead EXETER - With subdivision developer Joe Darling sitting quietly in the gallery, council debated and even- tually passed a bylaw to increase the cost of develop- ing a typical lot in town to $1,500, but with allowing the exemption for pre-existing subdivision agreements. The development charges bylaw was inspired by leg- islation which allows municipalities to fund expansion of both "hard" (water, sewers) and "soft" (recreation) services by charging impost fees directly to new devel- opment. The aim is to help pay for such expansion without increasing general taxes. Councillor Dave Urlin, when reviewing the bylaw said he had a problem with changing existing agree- ments with developers. He wondered if such increases were legal. Town administrator Rick Hundey said he was told by the county solicitor that while the legislation has not been tested in the courts, the opinion was that all existing development•fees Could be increased. The current fees on lots in the Darling and Jack Tay- lor subdivisions are $500 per lot according to the agreements, while other lots in town are charged $750. "I still have a problem with it," said Urlin. "I think if a bargain was made...I can't see changing that now," said councillor Ervin Sillery, who also pro- posed that the new charges be phased in for those two subdivisions, perhaps with a $1,000 charge to be re- viewed in five years.• "I don't think we can sit here and let a subdivider have the rights of subdivision from here to perpetuity," said Mickle. He said new agreements provide for reviewing sub- divisions within eight years. Mickle also argued that the town's proposed $1,500 fees were insignificant compared to housing,costs. "What percentage is $750 new dollars on a new house today?" said Mickle. "Because that's where the money goes. I really don't see that affecting the build- ing of a house." "This bylaw...is really, really fair to the developers," said Mickle, noting that only 50 percent of the capital costs to the town were being passed on the develop- ment charge, the rest was going on taxes. "I'm being the devil's advocate, I think here. But I find the $1,500 very fair. I don't think we should be thinking anything less than $1,500." Urlin said he didn't object to the $1,500, but to the fact that a deal would be broken with developers who had already paid their development costs. . Councillor Robert Drummond also said he felt the casts should be only' levied on new subdivisions, be- cause those would be the ones requiring expansions of town servicing. Councillor Ben Hoogenboom said "If we want this town to grow we're going to need to have the monies available...to fund the expansion we are looking at:" But he said that this "might be a bad time" to levy such a charge. Hundey said that council can pass the bylaw, but in- terpret it differently for pre-existing agreements. "We're dealing with how the bylaw can be interpret- ed under the legislation," said Hundey. With about 18 lots remaining in the Taylor subdi- vision and 22 in the Darling subdivision, Hoogenboom argued the $500 agreements be allowed to stand, even though those agreements were signed up to 17 years ago. Please turn to page 2 ► .. slii •tri . �1rtd.,r's`ia�> • #iiitl�al+�>#r+r��hi ut i!11 i li9il J 1//1 11 ' ' � 111M1 lt►lt� ji .0 ►�f ...�,.:._. ,T. d,:I...-.�> ! �.V 1 •: mss= .. �-. s' '; - a in i turn theiseives Creek poliuters ZURICH - Faced with the reali- zation of the seriousness of the in- cident, the culprits in last week's dumping of animal carcasses in a Zurich area creek turned them- selves in to the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority. ABCA crews cleaned the un- wanted parts of three butchered hogs out of the creek last Friday af- ternoon, and were able to use meat inspection stamps on the carcasses to identify the owners with the help of the Ontario Ministry of Agricul- ture and Food Meat Inspection Branch. However, before the individuals could be confronted, they turned themselves in to conservation Au- thority manager Tom Prout at his residence. "Realizing the seriousness of their action, they offered to settle out of court and compensate the ex- penses incurred by the ABCA. This offer has been accepted by the agencies involved," reads a release from the ABCA office Monday. "They hadn't quite clued in to the severity of what they had done," said Kathy Monk at the ABCA, who said news reports brought that realization home. "We're happy that they came forward and things have been cleaned up." The identity of the individuals is not being released under the agree- ment to compensate the Authority for cleanup costs. The actual costs have not yet been tabulated. The ABCA says the incident may serve to make the public aware that charges can be laid under several provincial and federal legislations against anyone dumping anything into a watercourse. The Environ- mental Protection Act carries a fine for individuals up to $10,000, or $200,000 for corporations. Under the Dead Animal Disposal Act, the first offense will draw $500 and/or a six-month jail term, and the sec- ond offense up to a $5,000 fine. On a positive note, the ABCA says the carcasses were not dis- eased. "We truly hope that this will be an education for all individuals considering disposal ofanimals or any waste material in an illegal manner," reads the ABCA an- nouncement. Cruiser and truck nixed by new council EXETER - Town council, right after being sworn in Monday eve- ning, seemed determined to keep the stingy image they promised during the election. Council reject- ed two motions that could have cost as much as a Ferrari, one for a new town garbage truck, the other for a police cruiser. The first recommendation came from the public works committee report, which asked council to con- sider the purchase of a 1991 gar- bage packer to replace the existing 1980 model. The new truck costs $104,037. "Our garbage packer has just about outlived itself," explained councillor Ben Hoogenboom, add- ing that the old truck is in need of a safety check which will require at least $3,000 in new tires and other expensive repairs. Deputy -reeve Lossy Fuller asked how much reserve was in the bud- get for a new packer. Works super- intendent Glen Kells said there was $750.000 yacht seized by police Exeter businessman faces charges in Florida lflsUrance fraud scheme MIAMI, FLORID•--,A-prominent Exeter business- man was arrested last 'Tuesday morning on charges of grand theft and insurance fraud in what police say was a scheme to collect insurance money after arranging for the disappearance of a 3750,000 boat. Lorne Keller of Grand Bend, owner of Exeter Roof- ing and Sheet Metal was released on a 39,000 bond, and under Florida law will have to appear at an ar- raignment within 21 days to answer to the charges. "We think we have an excellent case against him," said Paul Williams, supervisor of the investigation unit which handled the case. Williams said last Wednesday morning that Keller apparently arranged to have his boat "Promises Prom- ises II" go missing atter becoming dissatisfied with its operation and upkeep. On October 2 Keller reported the vessel stolen to the Bal Harbour Police Depart- ment. Police then say he 'filed a false insurance claim with the Cigna Insurance Co. of Canada. for 3750,000. The Division of Insurance Fraud was tipped off about the scheme through a confidential informant and were able to gather information about the boat through monitored and taped telephone conversations, said Williams. Police located and staked out the boat, which was in the process of being sold for 310,000 to five Bahami- a arn-bYa middleman. The Bahamians have also been arrested. Williams said it appeared Keller never intended the boat to resurface. The insurance department seized the 15.9 metre yacht and arranged for secure storage. Police say Kel- ler was notified by his insurer, who was cooperating with Florida investigators, that the craft had been locat- ed by the Florida Marine Patrol and was told that he needed to repossess it personally in Miami. Keller then went to the Flamingo Marina where he was arrest- ed on board the boat and taken to the Dade County Jail near Miami. Under Florida law the maximum penalty for first de- gree grand theft is 30 years in prison and a 310,000 fine. The maximum penalty for insurance fraud is five years imprisonment and a 35,000 fine. State Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher announced last Tuesday that his department has seized the boat under the Florida law that provides for the forfeiture of goods used in commission of a theft. He said the department will arrange for the sale of the yacht and the proceeds will go to the State Treasury. It was an elaborate scheme - but he got caught," stated a release from Gallagher's office. !none. "There's nothing in the reserve fund," confumcd Kells. Hoogenboom noted a new packer had been part of the budget forecast for the past few years. Reeve Bill Mickle said that pro- jected increases in the capital bud- get for public works in 1992 are largely due to the need for work on the landfill site, and some work on Riverside Drive. Consequently, Mickle urged the current packer be repaired and kept. - "It may be the most we can afford this particular year," said Mickle. "I think this is the time to start holding the line,---- _�_.-_._------ _----- Kells said two years ago a "con- siderable" amount of money was spent on the truck, with the idea it be eventually replaced. "I didn't think it could be [kept), otherwise I wouldn't have put it in Abe budget," said Kells. "It just comes to the point where it just isn't going to be feasible to save the vehicle; said Hoogen- boom. However, when it came to a vote, the motion to purchase the packer was lost. Later in the evening a motion to purchase a new police cruiser was included in the police report. Councillor Dave Urlin explained that under a Bulk Buy program with 12 other towns purchasing cruisers, savings of 33-4,000 per car could be realized. "Our cruiser is in need of replac- ment?" asked councillor Tom Hum- phreys. Santa arrives Saturday NORTH POLE- Santa Claus is coming to town. The annual Santa Claus parade, which starts at 1 p.m. in Exeter on Saturday marks the arrival of Santa Claus to the area. Santa will also be arriving in Dashwood at 2 p.m. and will be visit- ing with the children at 3 p.m. It is also said the jolly elf will be able to make the rounds of a few other locations on the weekend and in the days to come. Please turn to ravel 2 Last year's card "Expedient service, or whet?" wonders Louis Ooster- bosch of Exeter who Just received "return to sender" this Christmas card he mailed out last December 17,1990. Oosterbosch sent the card to the recipient's former ad- dress, but with his own return address clearly on the front, he wonders why it took nearly a year for Canada Post to get it back to him. 1 b i "