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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1999-02-17, Page 2Eiti . -x r- `,/ 1,, iiVr'edne�d$y:'Pbi�ruary' `�`�;' In the News Landfill to take old computers CLINTON -- Seeking revenge on your computer? Take it to the Mid -Huron Landfill Site where Bum- ble -Bee Recycling is setting up a computer recy- cling station, according to The Clinton News - Record. The site will have a receiving bin for old and ob- solete computers. As the bin fills up, Bumble -Bee will bring special equipment from its home base in Elmira and shred the out -of -service terminals. Once shredded, the metal, plastic and glass is separated and sold as recoverable material. The process of shredding and recycling applies to moi - tors and printers. The central processing unit (hard drive) recyclable material is recovered by hand. The mobile shredder will also handle discarded VCRs. The project is part of a province -wide pilot pro- ject with the Mid -Huron site as one of four in Onta- rio with the system. • Wingham joins amalgamation talks with neighbours WINGHAM — The Town of Wingham has official- ly decided to join restructuring talks with the Townships of Turnberry, Morris and East Wawa - nosh, reports the Wingham Advance -Times. Some council members have expressed concern that the new restructuring committee has decided to make its decisions based on consensus, a term Wingham has defined as 'unanimous'. They also say they're frustrated with talking with other mu- nicipalities only to have them repeatedly change their minds. Blyth plans to make a presentation at an upcom- ing restructuring group meeting to make its case that it should be included as well. The townships say they only want Wingham to be included but Wingham wants Blyth as part of a larger group. More than 60 snow -related charges in Wingham WINGHAM — The Wingham Police Service has' laid more than 60 snow -related charges since the beginning of the year, reports the Wingham Adv- cance-Times. The town police have been strictly enforcing the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act and appropriate mu- nicipal bylaws to curb complaints. Charges included speeding and lack of insu- rance/stickers. The speed limit on town streets for snowmobiles is 20 km/h but people have been caught at 70 and 80 km/h, according to Chief Jim Dore. Approximately 30 charges were laid in the first two weeks of '99 in regard to the overnight park- ing bylaw. Pope hired to negotiate BOSANQUET — Lawyer and former Ontario cab- inet minister Alan Pope is being retained by Bo- sanquet town council as its chief negotiator and lead counsel on all Native relations issues, reports The Parkhill Gazette. Pope's experience will help move issues along and provide a more level playing field between Bo- sanquet and federal negotiators, the town said in a press release. Camp Ipperwash, Ipperwash Provincial Park as well as Kettle and Stony Point Reserves are all within Bosanquet. Council wants concrete proposals on installation of the Hwy. 21 water line, financial resources to support negotiations of a protocol report, compen- sation for loss of transfer payments and funding and protocol with respect to talks regarding the beach. Bosanquet council feels they have been meeting for three years and have not received a concrete proposal from the federal government on. any of these issues. Council wants to meet with the Kettle and Stony Point Band directly to review a strategic plan in hopes it could set the direction for future commu- nications. s Exeter council chooses county -wide OPP quote Continued from front page Coun. George Robertson, a former Exeter municipal police and OPP officer, won- dered how the proposed amalgamation with Stephen and Usborne townships Would affect policing, especially with both townships support- ing the county -wide quote. Triebner agreed adding an over $700,000 savings is projected throughout the county with the coun- ty --wide quote. "I think we have to con- sider the total county pic- ture," Triebner said. Hoogenboom fears Exeter St lose its OPP office if the town sides with the county quote. If we go with the coun- ty-wide ounty-wide quote you can pretty well kiss the office north of town goodbye," he said, including its con- tingent of officers. Hoogenboom also pre- dicted the office would be closed by the end of the year. Triebner countered the OPP have said the Exeter. office would be main- tained as is. Hoogenboom said the fact Wingham is opting out of the county -wide quote is good reason to question the option. "What does Wingham know that we don't know," he said. "I think we are dealing with an unknown that could come back and haunt us." Robertson said Wingham council is likely turning its back on the county -wide quote because it wants to main- tain its existing municipal force. He also expressed anger towards Hoogenboom. "You shouldn't try to sway town council to vote against the county quote because you think as a member of the police ser- vices board that the office will close," he said. Triebner said Exeter likely wouldn't be able to financially maintain the local office if council went with the Exeter -only quote since the town wouldn't be sharing the office with the surround- ing municipalities that went with the county- wide quote. Coun. Joe Hogan said there isn't much differ- ence in service between the county and town only quote. "I think it's our duty as councillors...to go with the cheapest one with the 'same level of service," he said. Usborne and Mitchell discussschool boundaries Continued from front page receive full funding from the province. However, Binns said enrollment over the next few years will be down, with not as many students in Grades 1-4.. Bruce Norris, a parent from Hibbert and co-chair of the Hibbert committee, explained that Hibbert parents want no boundary changes because sending children to schools outside their own communities is disruptive. He said of 38 families surveyed, 36 said they wanted their children to remain at Upper Thames Elementary School rather than go to Usborne. "We have nothing against your school," Norris explained to the Usborne committee, but since Hibbert families shop and pay their taxes in Mitchell, they want their children to go to school in Mitchell. He added if there are boundary changes and Hibbert stu- dents are forced to go to Usborne, many parents will pull their students out of the public school system and send them to the separate board. - While Usborne needs the Hibbert students to reach the 80 per cent capacity level, Mitchell Public School (MPS) is sitting at 101 per cent capacity and Upper Thames is 90 per cent full. The Hibbert committee proposed changing boundaries within Mitchell and sending Gr. 7 and 8 Mitchell Public School students to Upper Thames. MPS is over 80 years old and needs an estimated $932,000 worth of repairs over ,the next 10 years. However, . the newer Upper Thames needs repairs of $871,000 over the same period and the Hibbert com- mittee ommittee said the board should maintain MPS. MPS principal Pete Bowman said the school is struc- turally sound and simply needs upkeep like any other building. Another reason the Hibbert committee is against sending their students to Usborne is the fear it will cause MPS and, eventually, Mitchell District High School, to close. "The way we see this is the beginning of the end," Norris said. The Usborne committee, though, countered that, Usborne could be used as a feeder school for bot South Huron and Mitchell District High Schools. While the Usborne and Hibbert committees could not agreeon boundary changes, they did agree small community schools, are important and need to be. saved: Bowman said the Avon Maitland District School Board has to help small schools survive. The Hibbert group will present its concerns to the board at its next public meeting Feb. 23 in Stratford. Stand-alone utility labelled not viable for Exeter By Craig Bradford TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER — Exeter going it alone when it comes to utility restructur- ing may not make sense. The blunt news came from Exeter Hydro Electric Commission (HEC) chairperson Chan Livingstone at Monday night's council meeting. "The stand-alone utility is not a viable option with (hydro industry) deregulation," Livingstone told council. HEC and the town are looking into their electricity provider options that include an amalgamat- ed Huron County utility, a Huron Perth utility and a stand-alone Exeter utility. Council directed HEC members to contact ENERconnect (a new hydro provider) to see if they'll send a representative to a future meeting but only if ENERconnect won't charge a fee for attending. Councillors agreed they would like to hear what ENERconnect has to say before they give the go- ahead for phase two of a study by Acres . international looking at a Huron or Huron -Perth merged utili- Councillors were concerned that the town would be on the hook to pay the $4.90 per customer ($10,000 for Exeter out of phase two's total $175,000 price tag) if they passed a motion supporting continuing the study. "We're not locked till we sign the final papers," Livingstone said. 'infrastructure, adding the turnover HEC vice -chairperson Bev would just be a change of who pro - Skinner said the next study phase vides electricity to that part of Hay will identify what a 'shareholder' is and get paid. He added the HEC in the merger agreement. called Ontario Hydro about the "Onceyou sign the shareholders' takeover of the Co-op but an agreement you're in," Skinner said. Ontario Hydro representative failed There was some discussion on to attend a meeting to discuss the whether the Ministry of Energy matter. (MOE) would approve the HEC tak- On the water side, clerk -treasurer ing over the annexed part of Hay Liz Bell said the $300 fine for those Township containing the Exeter Co- not heeding the town's watering op Do -it Centre. restrictions won't cover the town's Town chief administrative officer legal fees if the accused offender Rick Hundey said he's sought legal takes the town to court. advice on the matter and has yet to Mayor Ben Hoogenboom said hear back. He said it boils down to council can raise the maximum fine a battle over who has jurisdiction it it wants. over the area. MOE. maintains the Service ftelivery manager Dave utility restructuring bill has juris- Moyer said the HEC can't enforce diction over the change but the the watering restriction bylaw. He HEC maintains the Exeter restruc- said only himself and Fire turing order takes precedence. Chief/assistant building inspector HEC has also contacted its lawyer John Morgan can hand out fines on the issue making some council- unless someone at the HEC is lors complain about duplication. appointed as a bylaw enforcement Reeve Roy Triebner feels Ontario officer. Hydro will ern down the HEC'5 Coun. Robert Drummond argued take over of the Co-op, a potential that the town winning a court case major HEC customer, and the HEC over watering restriction would can't afford to battle Ontario Hydro. serve as a strong .deterrent for any- Triebner was also concerned one in the future thinking of dis- Ontario Hydro would turn around obeying the bylaw. and charge the HEC for hydro Reeve Roy Triebner said the infrastructure in the annexed part town's prior policy of warning of Hay. offenders their water pressure Livingstone agreed with Triebner would be. reduced worked fine in the HEC wouldn't spend thousands the past. Hoogenboom disagreed of dollars fighting Ontario Hydro and earlier said the town's new over legal matters but disagreed fines give the bylaw "teeth." about the transfer of Ontario Hydro '