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Times-Advocate, 1999-03-10, Page 1414 Exeter Timis -Advo ste Wednesday, March 10. 1999 Usborne concerned about tax rates after amalgamation By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXE'T'ER — Usborne councillors want some answers. At the March 3 meet- ing of the organization, committee for the amal- gamation of Exeter and Stephen and Usborne townships, Usborne Reeve Robert Morley said his council needs more financial informa- tion about the conse- quences of amalgama- tion before it can go ahead with a public meeting on the pro- posed new Town of South Huron. As the South Huron group agreed, not to have an expensive financial study. done, there are no clear num- bers on what will hap- pen to taxes after amal- . gamation. Because its assessment base is the lowest of the three municipalities, Usborne is afraid its taxes will go up after amalgamation. While the three municipalities have agreed to eventually hold public meetings on amalgamation, Morley said there's no point in having one until Usborne can give its residents some idea of how their taxes will be affected. "It all boils down to dollars and cents," he said. Fie said Usborne won't have a public meeting until it has something constructive to tell its public. "Usborne won't be doing anything until we see some numbers," Morley said. He proposed the clerk - treasurers of each municipality use 1998 financial numbers to at least come up with an idea of how taxes will be if the municipalities amalgamate. "We haven't heard any good news," Morley said, "so I don't know why we'd want to rush into this." Committee chairman Tom Tomes said the study will only give Morley a vague idea of the effect amalgamation will have on taxes, but Morley said he thinks the numbers will be close. Morley said the point of the three municipali- ties amalgamating is not so one municipality can subsidize the oth- ers. "If (our taxes) go up at all, then we're subsidiz- ing somebody," he said. The committee passed a motion for the three clerk -treasurers to begin a study to roughly determine what will happen to taxes after amalgamation. Chamber of Commerce elects executive directors Many services for elderly and disabled available in new Ilderton HOMME office ILDEITON — A new program, Helping Others Maintain Middlesex Elders (HOMME) has been cre- ated to aid seniors and the disabled in their quest to remain inde- pendent in their homes. HOMME services are volunteer -driven and without these volun- teers, HOMME would not exist. The HOMME program consists of meals on wheels, foot clinics, transportation, friendly visiting, telephone reas- surance, home mainte- nance referral, wellness clinics and dining ser- vices. HOMME now has 125 volunteers and 289 clients. Nutritious meals on wheels are delivered Monday, Wednesday and Fridays by HOMME volunteers. Two of HOMME's more popular services are foot care clinics and transportation. Foot clinics are offered monthly from VON nurs- es. Tran .portation, on the other hand, is a daily occurrence. Volunteers transport consumers to appoint- ments or in to town to get groceries. HOMME requests 24 -hours notice for this service. Friendly visiting and telephone reassurance services are exactly how they sound.. During a friendly visit, visiting volunteer goes into a client's home bi- monthly to visit and pro- vide the human touch that some seniors or dis- abled adults receive lit- tle of. Telephone reassur- ance involves a call at the same time weekly to ensure a client is OK. Wellness clinics ensure clients have necessary exercise and lead an active life. Clinics are taught by certified instructors in low and high mobility classes. HOMME's lunch out service is now running in Lucan, Ilderton and Thorndale and new con- sumers are always wel- come. "Lunch out" meetings occur at a restaurant in Looking over daily activities in their new office in the Vintage Green Complex in Ilderton are from left sup- port staff member Gail Douglas and Kathy Jenken, co- ordinator of HOMME, eastern region EXETER — Following its first general meeting . two weeks ago, the Exeter and District Chamber of Commerce elected its executive committee last week. Ilugh McMaster, who had been president of the Chamber's steering committee since October, was voted by the Chamber's directors to be president for the next two years. The remaining executive consists of; Frank Zawalsky, vice president; Bill Dinney, treasurer; and Phomas Burke, secretary. Committee chairpersons for the Chamber are: Paul Ciufo, membership; Richard Marier, tourism; Marianne Benson, communications; McMaster, politi- cal committee; and Tony de Boer, industrial commit- tee. The Chamber's directors will meet on the second Thursday of each month at 8:30 a.m. at The Ranch Ilouse Inn on Main Street, Exeter. New owners forWeediTlan DASHWOOD-Sh iwn and Jordan Rutledge a' P the new owners of the Woodman franchise for Exeter and surrounding area. Shawn has worked for Weedman for the past four years serving this area as part of the terri- tory owned by Mark Coulthard of Goderich. The area served by Business Directory AUCTIONEER • • CW/40, gegididote, FULLY LICENSED & BONDED, CALL OR FAX (519) 666-0833 Pick up and sales of complete or partial estates. Specializing ki Farm, Real Estate, and Genera Sales. Serving the community and Area for over 40 • the London/Ilderton area on the third Tuesday of each month. Anyone interested in volunteering or in join- ing any of HOMME's services can call the HOMME office at 666- 2324. i Ontario's Changing Electricity Industry For almost 100 years, Ontario's municipal electric utilities like the .Exeter Hydro Electric Commission (formerly the Exeter Public Utilities Commission) have been not-for-profit, publicly owned entities overseen by utility commissions comprised of locally -elected or appointed officials. In Exeter the commissions have always been elected. We have-_, been responsible for maintaining the distribution wires and supplying electricity and related services to all customers within the Town of Exeter. Currently, we must buy our power supply from Ontario Hydro and customers must buy power from us, the Exeter Hydro Electric Commission. w All of this is about to change. Ontario's Bill 35, the Energy Competition Act. will introduce competition into Ontario's electricity industry in the year 2000. What Changes Will Take Place? • Ontario Hydro will no longer have absolute monopoly on generating electricity, although many are concerned that Ontario Hydro still retains the vast majority of generation. • An Independent Market Operator (IMO) will control the flow of electricity through the province. It will also operate the electricity market, where -sales and purchases of electricity will take place. • The transmission and distribution wires functions will be monopoly services regulated by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB). • Customers will be able to select their electricity supplier. What Will Happen to Municipal Electric Utilities Like the Exeter Hydro Electric Commission? The new legislation will completely revamp the structure of the Exeter Hydro Electric Commission. We will be required to incorporate as a local distribution company by November 2000. Once incorporated, we must operate as a commercial business, with the option of earning profit. As a local distribution, or wires, company,. we will be responsible for maintaining the distribution network (the wires)- which delivers- electricity to you, the customer. We will also ensure that you are supplied with electricity, at a regulated rate, should you choose not to sign a contract or if your chosen supplier defaults. The owner and sole shareholder of this new company will be the Municipality of the Town of Exeter. The Municipality of the Town of Exeter can also choose to form an affiliated company to competitively sell electricity and energy products and services, or it can decide to sell off all or part of its ownership in the local distribution company. The Exeter Hydro Electric Commission and the Town of Exeter are currently involved in a Huron County Electric Utility Restructuring Study. This study is looking at the option of restructuring all of the utilities in Huron County into a single utility. The Exeter Hydro Electric Commission and the Town of Exeter are looking at options that will best serve you, the customer, in the next millennium. We are certain that you, the customer, can . appreciate some of the uncertainties that exist in the electricity supply industry, and the Exeter Hydro Electric Commission is making sure that you will be Well served. Rutledge will run from Elginfield to Kippen across to Lake Huron. IMONEY2VarABLE at 6.5% interest or less Personal Loans Totally Unsecured if you quali- fy, monthly payments as low as Amt. ,000 Mthly 68�. 5100,00000 $54.16 $15,000 $81.25 Consolidate' Your Deals 1(800)387.1932 Astral Funding REPAI RS Sewing Machinel Repairs to all makes F. istimat ss 90 Day warranty Experienced since 1982 Sew and Save Centre Ltd. 149 Down's St., Strattord Phan 271-9640 t 1 f You will face the same types of choices as you have with the gas and telephone companies. You will be able to buy electricity from a choice of suppliers, and you will be able to select from a variety of service packages. There a myriad of details to be worked out. In the upcoming months we will provide you with information ort what to look for in choosing a supplier and signing a contract. In the meantime, please call us with any questions you may have, following web sites: Ontario Ministry of Energy, Science and www.est.gov.on.ca (Electricity Restructuring); The Municipal Electric www.mea.on.ca; The Ontario Market Design Committee at www.omdc.org. A t�:r? or browse the Technology at Association at 'he Exeter Hydro Electric CQmmiss' 2354350 ion