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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1999-04-07, Page 22 Exeter Times -,Advocate Wednesday, April 7, 1999 In the News Regional wrap up Huron Perth electrical utilities closer to amalgamating SEAFORTH — The electrical utilities in Huron and Perth are moving onto phase two of amalga- mation by establishing a transition committee, re- ports The Huron Expositor. All 16 municipal. electric utilities (MEUs) have endorsed the plan which would see the formation of one utility in Huron and one utility in Perth. Sixteen municipal councils and commissions vot- ed to go ahead with phase two of the study and agreed to pay the $4.90 per customer to cover the consultant's fee, according to the Expositor. Grand Bend,.which is in Lambton County, but for years has participated with Huron utilities in pur- chasing and service arrangements, has verbally expressed an interest in continuing with ' h e study but has not yet paid its portion. Grand Bend is presently involved in restructuring talks with Lambton County municipalities. Two other municipalities, Goderich and Exeter, are investigating hiring separate consultants to conduct parallel studies. Phase two includes business plans and legal agreements with a second interim report due May 31. Final report preparation, including reviewing the draft, is scheduled for June 15 with a final re- port presentation scheduled for June 30. It will in- clude coordinated business plans, draft articles, bylaws, shareholder agreements and draft council approval bylaws. $31,700 bequest for mobility bus ST. MARYS — A St. Marys citizen has left ,.110 St. Marys and Area Mobility Bus Committee Ia•rg. bequest just when a campaign to raise mo;, w r a much-needed new vehicle was getting under- way. Sheila Craig, a former teacher at St. Marys Cen- tral School, left the Mobility Bus services.a dona- tion of $31,7000 in her will, reports the St. Marys Journal Argus. The committee has placed the funds into GICs for the time being. Its goal is to raise $75,000 in a capital campaign in addition to the $16,000 that must be raised and put toward annual operating expenses. Deer population down at Pinery BOSANQUET — The deer population at the Pin- cr:k,• Provincial Park has decreased by half but it's ill twice as high as the park's ecosystem can sup- port, reports the London Free Press. Amost 400 volunteers walked the park on March 27, counting 309 deer. More than twice that num- ber were counted last spring. According to park naturalist Terry Crabe, the park can only support between 150 and 175 deer. A deer L•''.! 1 ast. fall killed 264 deer while other deer died in traffic accidents or left the park. There were 781 deer counted in the park last spring. The abundance of deer led to overgrazing, caus- ing serious damage to the 1,200 -hectare oak sa- vannah ecosystem. Goderich doctor pleads guilty GODERICH — A former Goderich doctor has pleaded guilty to two counts of OHIP fraud and been ordered to pay more than $26,000 in fines and restitution, reports The Goderich Signal Star. Dr. Mario Cauchi, who operated a family medical practice in Goderich for 27 years, pleaded guilty to two charges of fraud over $5,000 in General Divi- sion Court March 29. Cauchi said the mistakes he made in his billings to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan were "techni- cal" in nature and in no way "intentional." "I consider it a minor blemish on 27 years 'of dedicated service to the community," Cauchi said in the Signal -Star. Cauchi now operates Loramar Centre for Cos- metic Medicine and Surgery in London. The charges against Cauchi stem from a four- month investigation by the Ministry of Health, the OPP and the former Goderich Police Service. Magic Bus Shove Illusionist John Kaplan helps Richard Hern of Usborne Twp. check to make sure the woman is really in the magic box during the Magic Bus Show at the South Huron Recreation Centre in Exeter on • Thursday night. Below, Magician John Kaplan saws Exeter Public School Principal Ric Graham in half . More than 300 people attended the evening of magic presented by the Exeter Lions Club.and sponsored by area busi- nesses. Study shows Stephen will be hardest hit Continued from front page lowing changes after amalgamation: on a $100,000 property, Exeter taxes would decrease by $150.73 annually, while Stephen taxes would rise by $137.35 and Usborne's would increase by $83.34. Excluding provincial grants, Exeter's taxes would drop only $16.87 annually, while Stephen's would still rise by $112.40 and Usborne residents would see a tax decrease of $254.90. Under the third scenario, the study included the affect on taxes if funding for policing and the farm tax rebate went back to the individual municipalities. If that happens, Exeter's taxes will decrease by $26.55, Stephen's will rise by $62.07 and Usborne's will decrease by $88.26. Brown said while the analysis hasn't been audited yet, it is fairly accurate. Brown, along with the clerk - treasurers from Exeter and Usborne, will go through the analysis again and prepare a final dram. The committee accepted Brown's report. During discussion period, Stephen" Coun. Anita Riddell expressed her concern about the possible increase in Stephen taxes. She said amalgamation would "put our ratepayers in such an adverse posi- tion." She said Stephen taxpayers are gaining nothing by amalgamation and "they have to pay the piper." Stephen Reeve Harvey Ratz said he hopes all three municipalities will be "winners" in the amalgamation process and cautioned Riddell there are a lot of savings from amalgamation not shown in the study. Exeter Reeve Roy Triebner added the new municipal- ity will see savings after amalgamation. He called the financial study "an excellent exercise." Brown later told the T -A he is surprised at the results of the study, but said it reflects the high level of grants Stephen received and its low assessment base. Committee chairperson and Stephen Deputy Reeve Tom Tomes suggested the issue of the financial study should go back to the three individual councils for dis- cussion. The organization committee for the amalgamation of Exeter, Stephen and Usborne meets again on April 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Exeter council chambers. Emergency room closure averted last week Continued from front page would lighten the load of doctors working in the hospital. Nurse practition- ers, while unable to replace doctors, can pre- scribe some medicines and make diagnoses. Cosgrove said the hospi- tal is also looking at a sys- tem which would see an emergency doctor on call to back up the doctor working in the emergency room. She said assuring doctors they have backup. if needed will make work- ing at South Huron more attractive.