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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1993-12-15, Page 2Page 2 Times -Advocate ,`° 30cember 'f5, t993 ttegiona wrap up Middlesex stepping up fraud search PARKHILL - Recipients of welfare and other forms of so- cial assistance will soon be un- der closer scrutiny in Middlesex County. An additional employee is be- ing added to the county's social services department to look "in depth" -at the legitimacy of some claimants. Living arrangements will be- investigated. einvestigated. and back accounts examined, Social Services ad- ministrator Geoff Chandler told the Parkhill Gazette. The cost will be paid through a new provincial enhanced veri- fication program aimed at sav- ing and recovering more money. Middlesex County will receive about $56,000 to cover the spe- cial investigator's salary and travel expenses, Chandler said. The program is being en- dorsed by Middlesex County Council. User -moi .garbage expanding VANASTRA - Residents of Vanastra will be paying $1S0 per garbage bag .in , the New Year, it was reported in the Clin- ton News -Record. Tucke-smith Township Coun- cil decided on the switch after lengthy debate over several meetings. The user -pay system is being instituted to pay the S35 per Monne cosetear:iers must pay to dump tgarsbage : at the landfill starting on January 1, as well as the cost of garbage pickup. Currently there is no drop-off charge at the landfill eaapt for building materials and tires. Council emphasized that gar- bage bags containing recyclable goods won't be picked up. Talks on Camp Ipperwash expected - Y r POINTNegotia- tions Negotia- tions are.expected to begin early in 1994 to determine the future of Camp 1iperwash. Seven months after Stoney Point descendents and original inhabitants moved onto .the base, 'hide progress has been made to resolve the dispute. , I think everyone just wants t4 see it all end," said Elizabeth Thunder, band administrator for the Keule Point and Stoney Point First Nation. "It's causing too much hurt in the coaununity," she said. 'The federal government ex- propriated the land under the War Measures Act in 1942, it was reported in the Forest Stan- dard. Lucky ticket brightens hospital stay ST. MARYS - Christmas came early for Pat and Garry Graham. While Pat was a patient at St. Marys Memorial' Hospital, her husband bought per a bingo lot- tery ticket and it proved to be worth $5.000 for .the couple, it was reported in the Journal Ar- gus. "MY reaction was that I was taking a lot of medication: 1 couldn'tbe1ieve it,",athe.said. And the money couldn't have conte at a better time as husband Garry is being laid off from his job at St. Marys Cement. The Old ander Town Hall regained its former dignity Thursday afternoon when the roof to its clock tower was replaced. The roof was removed so it could be re -shingled with cedar shakes, restoring the building to its original appearance. Semiers liumpedatisa' sgstimaiw t� mks 'ZURICH - A transportation sys- tem for seniors in the South Huron area may ba in the works•if agroup from the Blue Water Rest Home gets the support it seeks. A delegation of four men, Josef Risi, Fried Haberer, Clare Reichert, and tan McAllister, apprat lhed Zu- rich council Thursday evening'rWth a proposal 'to setup a bus service for seniors and the disabled in the southern part of the county. "The system is already operating in North Huron, and there is a'pro- posal for Central Huron," Habercr told council. Such services are funded 50 percent by the Ministry of Trans- portation, and other funds are usually raised by service clubs. However, Ha - borer said the systems must be "sponsored" ,eby at least one munici- ality, and be operat- lad by a non-profit agency, such as the rest home. Haberer said the issue that brought This project to the forefront is that Blue Water has to replace the 10 year-old van it uses for resi- dent transportation. Replacing it with a similar Wua bray- not be pos- sible because it is "not exactly what the ministry wants us to use for that particular job." said Haberer. The group made a presentation to Hay Township council last month, favou in pri for su r`ha rese which, has rtfeletibd, 'so long as it doesn't 41i11061Neh money. They will be "fig ether 'councils as well. - `If milli itIes aren't in favour of the idea at all we may as well • drop the idea, and just replace our little bus," said Haberer. Risi peelaeitted a map displaying the territory the service could cover - including Zurich, Exeter, Hensen, Hay and Stephen Townships. Grand Bend may also be interested, he said. "It is limited to people who need it, not just anyone can use this bus," said Ha- berer, adding there would be a user fee. The Mitchell service charges $1 a ride. McAllister said only the frail, very elderly and disabled could use the system, as it was not intended for otherwise active seniors who no longer had their own cars. When reeve Bob Fisher asked if others could use the bus, if space allowed, Risi noted it wouldn't be licensed as a taxi, and competition with existing taxis or bus lines wouldn't be appreciated. Fisher Said he heard an earlier proposal to have existing taxi com- panies provide the service, so no capital outlay was needed by mu- nicipalities. The new ministry pro- posal surprised him, he said. "Pm in rofthis nciple, re. But ve some rvations too." Board rejects $160.000 deficit proposal ABA dinfirgielt has io be based ars Meads, nat on +wats, says director By Adrian Harte T -A Editor EXETER - The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority must base its budget on its finances, not its needs, says one board director. Bob Benner, who represents .Lu - can and Biddulph Township on the board, voiced his opposition at the November:25 to a preliminary bud- get that would have inchubdua $160,000 deficit for 1994. ,-'tae shortfall would have come fain capital reserves. "1 think we've got to fend out -r+ilidaat we can do with what we've Aloe not doing what we want," said Amer May afternoon. :Ierailidtat.the meeting that pnMiastiabisiging cuts cartant, c ertpeaaed to reverse themselvesady- time soon. Cutting into t' neves will only hurt the Conservation Au - 1 thority-over•the long term. Benner proposed the budget be d teunided by starting at aero and adding pro- jects and services until .the .availa- ble funding is reached. When asked what programs could be expected to end up on the chopping block, Benner said the ABCA's tree .planting :tprogram.:not as popu- :'iar as it once was, "nay have to go. A refinement of the dig- ltrmapping system ellitallliaatinve to wait. "';Dante can't . afford it," said 1111111111eaddling that &though the 'teh►iity map technology may "be of use -to local municipalities and busir*sses, he said a customer Wiese should be proven before..as- teaming it is marketable. "It's a radical change for the board," said Benner, who said the province won't be easing up its funding for some time. t "Most of us think it's going to get worse." Other plans to cuts costs and bring forth a zero -percent levy increase to member municipalities include charging staff time to capital projects, and reducing con- tract staff positions. Still, Benner admits there ie liWe fat to trim from the organization it - "I think: we've got tofind out what*► 41 Can da hr hat we've got, -not doing what we want." self. Head staff volmtteered to isaccaptanage cuts earlier in the year card-have:a*orted the board's cost :r0atting pins. "You can't ask them to do more," be said. "These guys really do =re." Benner wouldn't rule out cutting :into reserves to help balance the let, but only if absolutely nec- - y. "Maybe we can, but we have to justify every dollar we take," he said. The ABCA board meets again this Thursday and will likely fur- ther discuss the creation of an ad- hoc oommiuee to examine the bud- get over the next two or three months. 'All this must have happened in the last year," said Fisher. "I'm In favour of this in principle, for sure. But !have some reservations too." Council were presented with a budget of the costs of running the Mitchell system, but were told the municipality typically spends noth- ing on the program. All funding comes from service groups and the ministry. "Do you have any preference on who you want the host municipality to be?" asked clerk Maureen Sim - miles, who said she was cautious of how much extra work it would in- volve for village staff. "I would say it should be Zurich or Hay Township who should be the host," said Haberer, noting those two arc the closest to the Blue Water Rest Home. Risi said the service would re- quire the purchase of a proper bus designed for such transportation, with flexible seating for wheel- chairs when needed. He said Blue Water would have to hire the bus, just the same as anyone else in the area, even though they operated the system. Risi said a combined meeting would be planned in the 'future, once all the municipalities have been sounded out as to their sup- port for the projece Council decided to support the proposal in principle, but agreed to remain cautious about costs to the village. Vandalism on increase EXETER - The.Exeter OPP in- vestigated several instances of van- dalism to property in both Exeter and the surrounding area in the past . ,an the truly moming.boutrs of Thursday, December 9, someone kicked in the passenger side door of a 1996 Pontiac Acadian that was parted on Main Street in Zurich. Last Tuesday, December 7, be- tween 8:40p.m. and p.m. three cars parked in the lot of the Exeter Legion were vandalized. Four tires were slaihed or punctured with a - sharp instnanent. Last Friday evening, a I993 Ford Probe was scratched with a sharp object while parked at the Exeter Lions Youth Centre. The previous weekend, vandals sprayed red paint on the outside walls and windows of Zurich Pub- lic School. Anyone with infommation about these crimes can contact the OPP at 235-1300, or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1.800-265-1777. Exeter figh_;_ing Priv�t,�, e Members' Sill County arra,conintitteers, to match new council well. ► Even if 'Exeter does win their ":We have received a letter from fight, Tomes said the new commit - them saying . they'll go along with tee structure put into place, will re - it," a idFnller. main. By Fred Groves T A'staff GODERICH - The Harron County Council has undergone a facelift. It not only elected a new warden, but councillors became part of a new committee structure. Following a motion which came out of its executive committee last week, it was decided lbat the fol- lowing five new committees will be created: Administration, Fiance and Personal: Agriicadture and Pub- lic Works, Health and Senors, Punning and Development: Social and Cultural $e mujces. This transfiia is a veal big change and i et en for this is that come the nem municipal ekc- A11nuat T -A cookbook winners The Exeter Tintattehedvocatc would like to thanks to all tlaIs that handed in their favourite recipes. Cheques are in the mail for this year's winners: Joanne McKnight, Stutter, $50; Dorothy Volland, Hensel!, $30; and third prize Sheila Miller. fetltl-Llp3h- wood, $20. tion, the fall of 1994, Huron County Council will be smaller in size. It will downsize from the cur- rent 36 to 32. "It alt bleeds in with our proposal for a smaller council. You're going to have [fewer} people here," said Warden Tom Ttswes. "They're Owes but next year, h, we'll have 1feilkiAie- The structure for the new com- mittees will see the Administration committee be made up of the four chairmen of the four oilier standing committees along with the Warden and two members -at -large. Two years ago, the Agriculture Cootmiuee joined the Planning and Development Commiuee Cut now, ;chose have gone their sepalate ways once again. Tomes mid the new Agriculture and Public Works Ccmnmittee will become in charge of the now dis- banded - Wave Management Steer- ing Committee. anw•Yerr mat Apply begins once ,il'+s,Aaw: lAB* .Jigs.. sen se- lacitid4144101111110111ise,Qesdpat be- gins. tiftlit P**0 duties which iAf .the eye of ,the Wase Stewing Com- miWee wi by Planning and De Health s one canmittee, bet ore mrd so • c ing in together. It's now actually one ministry, it used to be two dif- ferent mioisuies," said Tonnes. When the executive committee .decided to change . the structure, Tomes said the j -in was from the Town - • bas continued to Www itgliipleggurein the,downsizing of county council. "At the meeting Were was only one person from Exeter who voted against it," said Tomes. "We lave to proceed because it was hiendly a unanimous .decision to proceed with a smaller council." Krhere is nothing unanimous about this however as linter depu- ty -reeve Losay Fuller said Easter along with Howick Township are fighting the change in the size of the county council. "We have already written to We Ministry of Muaieiinal Affairs, (Hu- ron MPP) Paul Klopp and to the county. We're going to GAM the Private Members Bill,".said Faller. At the October council meeting, Huron County decided to apply for a Private Members Bill which is•rc- wired to change the size of coun- cil. Fuller was a major opponent when that decision was made and at the babe it OPPlantliaitistash &Wt. er was the lean isuaicrpality ag_iaat it. - However, in a 'event IMip°i+9om Howick asistigare it clsagyeghows ,are roll- that [bat: J1]1 ; 1J 1Pil lkis ',fluty =tier in&e.tgation HURON PARK - The Depart- ment of Labour is inveatigaligg a in on a machine at Exeter Machine Products in Htuon Pati when the acc. acct 'accosted. An.aambulapce.wok McNutt to Exeter OPP. ay ask hospital for treatment of a broken McNutt. 22, of riaeigismodelikang arm. NOTICE TO RESIDENTS HAY/ZURICH LANDFILL SITE -- Hours of Operation , Effective January 1st, 1994 Wedriesdas 19-00 am to 4:00 pm 4th Saturday of each month 10:00 am to .4:00 peri 1