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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1999-02-24, Page 5Wednesday, February 24. 1999 Exeter Time • ocate In the News Future ogrants tva. a1ks Exeter councill with ors wrestle the of lostprovincialgrants after aural amaonStephenwith Usborne and By Craig Bradford TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF all provincial grants are received will likely be Coun. Joe Hogan said all $309,870 would be saved loaded Huron sewage cut, Usborne's tax assess- reduced by the province three municipalities in wages and benefits, pumping facility to the ment if it stays out of • in the future. should have the same council costs and operat- expanded Exeter facility EXETER — Just who amalgamation skyrockets • Armstrong and Urlin general tax rate after ing costs if Exeter, to eliminate raw sewage will make up for lost to $873.49, Exeter's goes continued to argue that amalgamation. Stephen and Usborne making its way to the provincial grants after a to $694.78 and Stephen's any shortfalls in grants Triebner said Usborne's merge, assumed total staff Ausable River: merger with Usborne and goes to $714.57. If the has to be picked up by the position on Hundey's is downsized by three Hundey said there are Stephen townships contin- three merge, all three's effected former munici- report is needed before positions. delays in getting the cash ues to nag at Exeter coun- assessment would be pality after a merger. Exeter council can make In other business from from the Ministry of the cillors. $681.60. "If you lose a grant your any decision. the meeting, Hundey gave Environment. Ile said it's The issue was broached Deputy Reeve Dave Urlin taxes go up to compensate The committee directed a verbal update on the time for the town to push again at the Exeter com- and Coun. Peter for that," Armstrong said. Hundey to forward his Exeter/Stephen sewage the province to send the mittee of the whole meet- Armstrong argued the C 1 e . k - t r e a s u r e r scenarios to Usborne as treatment system grant. cash soon so the job can ing Monday night. new municipality should Elizabeth Bell questioned well as a suggested time On June 2, Huron MPP be tendered as soon as The discussion was have a separate tax rate wh'y townships would table for the amalgama- Helen Johns announced possible to take advantage sparked by chief adminis- for each of the former amalgamate if grants tion process that has the Exeter and Stephen would of the early season prices tr'ative officer Rick municipalities. remained unchanged. She amalgamation proposal receive a $5,270,615 from contractors. He Hundey's report on possi- "I cannot fathom or see added townships to the brought to the public grant ($2.96 million for added Mayor Ben ble tax rate scenarios for an amalgamation coming north are not looking at June -July and it going to Exeter, $2.3 million for, Hoogenboom (who wasn't the proposed merged to be with a one all tax interim tax bills or are the province for approval Stephen) from the provin- at the meeting due to South Huron including a system," Armstrong said. pursuing amalgamation in September. tial Water Protection work responsibilities) general tax rate for all Urlin believes Stephen because their provincial In an earlier report to Fund to improve their could be asked to work three former municipali- has 17 different municipal grants this year were so council, Hundey outlined sewage treatment facili- more closely with Johns to ties. tax rates and the new rich. potential savings and ben- ties. force the province's hand. The scenarios included merged municipality Bell said the difference efits of a merger and a Exeter would get an Hundey said the grant working in the provincial . could have several tax in tax assessments in the first take on what the expansion to its sewage may be less than the origi- grants remaining the rates as well. , , townships and in Exeter elimination of provincial treatment plant to address nal figure since the town same, having the polic- But Reeve Roy Triebner make up for some of the grants will do to tax rates overloading problems at has reduced the price tag ing/farm portions elimi- and Rick Hundey coun- inequities when it comes in the three n'iunicipali- the Exeter and Huron for the project. nated, having the policing tered the possibility of to the general tax rates. ties. Park plants and Stephen part only eliminated, a 20 provincial grants .being For instance, a house Hundey and Bell found would connect to the over - per cent reduction of reduced or cut entirely is assessed at $150,000 in' provincial grants and a the reason small rural town will likely be much total elimination of municipalities like smaller and have less land provincial grants. Usborne are willing to sit attached than one in the Right now, Exeter's at the amalgamation talks townships. Exeter has $100,000 residential tax table. more services than the assessment is $574.50, Hundey said if the townships and some areas Usborne's is $273.90 and grants are made "equi- of the townships, like Stephen's is $437.70 table" by the province an Dashwood for instance, before amalgamation. amalgamation with pay extra for services like if the three municipali- Usborne and. Stephen street lighting. Exeter res - ties merge end the grants "makes sense." idents pay user fees for remain constant, all three Triebner said Usborne's town services like garbage would have an assess- large grant this year com- pickup that township resi- ment of $428. But in the pared with what urban dents don't pay. worst case scenario when municipalities like Exeter Meeting chairperson/. Wrong boy in hospital in last week's story EXETER — The Times -Advocate had the wrong boy in thehospi- tal over the Feb. 13 weekend in last week's front page story on the Clarke/Overholt acci- dent. Stephen Clarke was treated for severe bruis- ing in London's Sick Children's Hospital after the accident, not Scott Overholt. The Times -Advocate regrets the error. Brenda S DraPeries I and sew ,uae In-home consuttations Specializing in sott window treatments Drapery altentio is lbss cushions, duvet covers. bedskirts Brenda Desjardine (519) 235-2960 fj,` Exeter The Friends of the Lucan Library extend an ,invitation to you to attend their Annual General Meeting Saturday, March 27 9:00 a.m. Ausable Community Centre 170 Main St., Lucan Nominations are now being -accepted for the following Board of Directors appointments: PRESIDENT VICE-PRESIDENT TREASURER SECRETARY If you, or anyone you know are interested in becoming a member of the Friends of the Lucan Library Board please Contact the Ausable Centre for further information: Telephone: 227-1453 Al► • We'll continue to look atter your electricity needs. As a retail customer who is served by Ontario Hydro, in April, you will automatically become a customer served by the new Ontario Hydro Services Company. It's that simple. The name on your electricity bill will change, but you'll still have the same reliable electrical service you've come to depend on. And, as Ontario opens up to competition, that service is expected to be even better. We're pleased to welcome you as a customer and we'll continue to keep you informed as the industry evolves. And as always, you can reach us at our Customer .Communications Centre, 1-888-664-9376, for any billing or service enquiry.