HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1999-04-14, Page 21Crossroads
Exeter Times -Advocate
Wednesday, April 14 , 1999
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'99 draft budget c forzero per cent increase
By Craig Bradford Hundey said the expense hasn't been
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF • approved by council because it is wait-
ing for a study that's determining if
there is a need to restore industrial
water from the Ausable River for use in
Exeter.
The rest of the Morrison Dam work
would be paid for by a Ministry of
Natural Resources grant (50 per cent of
total cost) and the ABCA annual levy.
Total expenditures could drop an esti-
mated $132,156.71 this year.
Revenues were also hit hard this year
with the elimination of the provincial
Special Transition Grant of $37,000 and
the Special Circumstance Fund of
$240,000 given to help the town deal
with provincial downloading and merg-
ing with the PUC.
But the town does have money left
from the Special Circumstance Fund it
could use to upgrade its aging computer
system.
The town has a quote for a two-year
plan to replace/update computers from
London's Protek Systems but council
delayed making a decision and directed
staff to solicit quotes from local comput-
er businesses.
Council did give staff the go-ahead to
spend $1,350 to proceed with Protek's
Y2K compliance program.
Deputy Reeve Dave Urlin said any
EXETER — This will be music to tax
watchdog ears.
The '99 Exeter draft budget holds the
line on taxes to about the same level
raised in '98.
The draft calls for $1,412,054 in taxes
to be raised this year compared with an
actual figure of $1,413,169 in '98. The
budgeted figure last year was
$1,404,343.
Town staff presented the draft budget
to council during its first budget meeting
Monday night.
Town clerk -treasurer Elizabeth Bell
said the first tax bills won't hit taxpayers
pocketbooks till likely sometime in July
since provincial changes in the munici-
pal tax system have made it next to
impossible for town staff to come up
with the commercial and industrial tax
levy.
Not knowing when the OPP will start
billing the town for policing service is
also muddying the waters.
Another outstanding issue is the
$31,600 the Ausable Bayfield
Conservation Authority wants from
Exeter to help pay for $79,000 worth of
retaining wall repairs at Morrison Dam.
Town chief administrative .officer Rick
Accessibility good for,
Grand Bend businesses
By Kate Monk
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
GRAND BEND — The bottom line for
Grand Bend businesses would improve if
their premises were wheelchair accessi-
ble.
That was the message Nancy Skinner
and Richard Yake gave council last
Tuesday night. They believe Grand Bend
should be a community accessible to all
people attending the 2001 Canada
Summer Games.
Skinner and Yake have been Grand
Bend summer residents for more than 50
years and are involved in issues relating
to access. .
"There's a whole world out there, activ-
ities and places to go," Skinner said. But
physical barriers such as steps and store
entrances prevents many people from
gaining access.
Skinner, who contracted polio in 1947,
took her last steps in Grand Bend and is
currently in a wheelchair. She stresses
her campaign will benefit everyone, not
jt'st people who rely on wheelchairs.
Skinner and Yake completed a survey
of Main St. businesses on Thanksgiving
weekend and determined less than one-
half of the businesses are easily accessed.
Yake said the positive attitude of busi-
nesses which are accessible "has resulted
in much repeat business."
"Think of the joy throughout Grand
Bend with a whole lot of people getting
around," he added.
Skinner and Yake made five recom-
mendations to council.
1. That the village council partner with
the Chamber of Commerce to complete
the project.
2. That tax incentives be given to busi-
nesses which make their premises acces-
sible and a similar amount in retroactive •
tax incentives be given to those who have
already voluntarily accessed their
premises and/or
3. That the village give matching dollars
to businesses to assist them financially.
4. That new/additional public wash-
rooms (including a unisex unit) be built
close to Ontario St.
• 5. 'That all intersections be curb -
ramped with appropriate gradients
(Several existing curbs are not accept-
able.)
6. That a bylaw be passed that all
future buildings housing businesses open
' to the public must be made accessible.
Mayor Cam Ivey said council sent a let-
ter out to businesses last November sug-
gesting they consider making their
premises accessible and knows only.
few businesses are considering taking
action.
He added council supports the position
of Yake and Skinner but doesn't have the
money to fund the projects at this time.
He said the Canada Games doesn't ' pro=
vide funding for Main St. improvements.
Ivey is not sure if the village can give
tax breaks under the Municipal Act and
added that many business operators are
not the owners and do not necessarily
return each summer.
Coun. Phil Maguire said he would have
concerns with passing a bylaw for all
businesses because some are very small
and may not have enough room.
Administrator Paul Turnbull said 50
inches must be clear on the sidewalks for
snow removal.
Council will send the report to the
Chamber of Commerce and the
Community Enhancement Committee.
POLICE BRIEFS
Bike stolen from Vanastra
VANASTRA — A 15 -speed 24" red
mountain bike was stolen from Victoria
Blvd. in Vanastra sometime April 9-10.
Someone entered an unlocked garage
to take the bike.
Huron OPP Const. Don Shropshall said
anyone who comes across the bike
should call the Huron OPP at (519) 524 -
equipment the town buys should fit in
with what its merger partners, Stephen
and Usborne townships, have. Stephen
uses the same tax software as Exeter
does but Usborne farms out its comput-
er billing to Seaforth.
Bell was instructed by council to
rework the numbers in the draft budget
and return with a second draft to be dis-
cussed at a future council meeting. Bell
said a final budget may be passed in
May.
Draft budget items of note:
New library cash
The push for a new Exeter library got
a shot in the arm with council deciding
to dedicate the entire $23,000 contin-
gency reserve fund to a new library
reserve.
Coun. George Robertson pushed the
issue.
"We don't want to be asking for dona-
tions till we can pay our share," he said.
Put out the lire
The Exeter ai.d Area Fire Board '99
operating budget comes in at $195,550,
down from the $217,103 actual in '98.
The $59,000 capita ' budget includes
$30,000 down on a $350,000 new
pumper the Exeter department is buy-
ing.
Another $20,000 is going towards a
used squirt unit for the pumper from
Sarnia. Exeter's old pumper will be sold
after the new one arrives. The fire
department will pay for the remainder
of the new pumper in 2000.
Arena ref still in air
A $150,000 new roof for the South
Huron Rec Centre is still on hold
although $15,000 is being added to a
reserve fund saving to pay for the work.
That fund would total $60,000 after this
year.
Council directed rec board staff to look
into purchasing a new $40,000 multi-
purpose mower for the works and ceme-
tery departments.
The rec board is seeking essentially
the same grant from the town as last
year, but is taking $10,000 (or half) out
of the capital grant and putting it into
the operating grant.
Ice rentals are expected to remain
about the same as the '98 actual figure
of $134,105.
It's wasteful
The Exeter landfill site wracked up a
$20,250 deficit last year which will have
to be raised through taxation if changes
aren't made to the system. Hundey is
still working on those changes. On thing
being considered is increasing fees for.
minimum loads from $20 to up to $30.
Beach fitness proposal
approved in principle
GRAND BEND — The
main beach could be a
healthier place this sum-
mer if Beth Sweeney and
Lise McLlwain of B&L
Fitness swing their pro-
posal for a fitness pro-
gram.
The women made their
pitch to council last week.
They are interested in
putting together a pro-
gram combining lifestyle
and fitness on the beach
.west of the beach house.
McLlwain said the pro-
gram is' about "looking
great, feeling great and
having a wonderful sum-'
mer." •
While aerobics on the
beach would be the piv-
otal component, other fit-
ness activities and pre-
sentations would be
included. A personal fit-
ness and health evalua-
tion would individualize
the program and there
could be options for
nutrition counselling,
image counselling and
health-related informa-
tion sessions, they said.,
Sweeney and McLlwain
said the program would
run weekday mornings
from June 21 to Aug. 27.
It would help Main St.
businesses by getting
people downtown.
Mayor Cam Ivey asked
how the village would
benefit, citing examples
of other beach ventures
by for-profit businesses
which pay the municipal-
ity for the use of the
beach.
Sweeney said they did-
n't know what their costs
would be but wanted to
cover equipment, mar-
keting, sound system and
staff costs. She suggested
it would be optimal to
run the program for a
year before making com-
mitments to the village.
Deputy Mayor Bob
Mann looks favourably
on the proposal.
"I would hope we'd
look at an operation of
this kind as a break even
thing" and have the vil-
lage recoup its costs for
electricity or the sound
system, he said.
Coun. Shirley Andraza
suggested if the endeavor
went well in the first
year, the women could
donate something to the
beach area.
"My concern is a prece-
dent, especially when we
have some other opera-
tions down there that are
capital intensive," Ivey
replied.
Mann continued to
push for the proposal.
"In my opinion, if we
can see a way to make
this thing go, it'll be an
attraction to the village
like we've never had
before," he said.
Council suggested the
village's sound system at
the ,beach house could be
used for the aerobics pro-
gram. They also warned
Sweeney and McLlwain
the music for the pro-
grams couldn't start
before 9 a.m.
Council adopted the
proposal in principle with
Sweeney and McLlwain
to bring financial infor-
mation back to council.
POLICE BRIEFS •`` POLICE BRIEFS • POLICE BRIEFS
Zurich woman charged in Wal-Mart theft
GODERICI-1 — A 28 -year-old Zurich purse and then leave the store without
woman is accused of shoplifting by paying for them. Security caught up with
Goderich Wal-Mart staff after an incident Consitt in the parking lot and found sev-
on April 9. eral items worth a total of $45 in her
Huron OPP Const. Don Shropshall said purse.
Deborah Consitt is charged with theft Consitt was released and is due In
under $5,000 after Wal-Mart security Goderich court June. 7.
said they saw her put items into her
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