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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1999-04-21, Page 4040 Appreciatecj Queensway Retirement and Nursing Home volun- teer Kay Wise, left, celebrated Queensway's Volunteer Appreciation Day with her mother, Rose Walzack, 87, and her sister Rosemary Smetana of Belcarra, B.C., last week.Wise is from Hensall and her mother is a resident of Queensway. Exet_Tlenas.,Advecate . Wednesday, April 21, 1999 Will .the `Original Six' group become the Original Five'? By Scott Nixon TIAL -ADVOCATE STAFF ZURICH — The Original Six have hit another delay in their amalga- mation process. A meeting last Wednesday in Zurich was cut short because Tuckersmith Township hasn't yet been able to make a decision on whether or not they want to amal- gamate with the other five munici- palities. The councils of Hensall, Zurich, Hay, Bayfield and Stanley have already voted in favour of the group of six. Tuckersmith Reeve Bob Broadfoot asked the group for an extension on a decision because he said there are two groups — the Original Six and Seaforth/McKillop — who want to amalgamate with Tuckersmith. He said Tuckersmith needs time to decide which group to join. Bayfield Reeve Doug Grant said he could agree to giving Tuckersmith a month-long exten- sion, but said time is running out. "Tuckersmith should be prepared to fish or cut bait," at the next Original Six amalgamation meet- ing, Grant said, adding that each of the municipalities involved will now have to go back to their coun- cils and see if the group wants to stay together if Tuckersmith pulls out. Stanley Township Reeve Jack Coleman said he can live with an extension of two or three week but not the two-month extensio Tuckersmith originally asked for. "Let's have it now," Coleman sal of a decision. Hay Township Reeve Jim Lov was in favour with a month -ion extension, saying, "I think it's onl fair." Under the triple -majority rule the other five municipalities have the power to force Tuckersmith into the group but the group agreed Wednesday night they will not do that. While a consensus was. reached on giving Tuckersmith an exten- sion of one month, Stanley Deputy Reeve Bill Dowson was not happy with rumours he has been hearing about Tuckersmith. "I feel a bit used," Dowson said, explaining that "our trust has real- ly been strained" because he has heard that Tuckersmith really doesn't want to amalgamate with the Original Six. Broadfoot explained. that Tuckersmith has had only a month to talk with - s, the six municipalities and a discus - n sion of transition costs. Coleman said there was no point d in continuing the meeting because the financial study and transition e costs will change if Tuckersmith g leaves. y This is the second short meeting the group has had in a row. The group had a full councils meeting in March in Brucefield which lasted only 40 minutes. Dowson was unhappy about the short meetings. ".think it's time we got serious," he said While Tuckersmith now has one month to decide which amalgama- tion group it will join, the other five municipalities will decide if they want to continue as a group of five if Tuckersmith wants to leave. The Original Six will next meet on May 12 at 7 p.m. in the Hensall community centre. POLICE BRIEFS Attem ted ane ea ort boat t eft group and simply can't decide yet. ----r--- .,- amalgamation but Dowson, though, argued that the problems the Original Six have been having and the rumours by members of the public make the group look bad. ,The meeting was then adjourned after only 30 minutes, with two scheduled items not discussed — a review of a financial analysis done on the impact of amalgamation for McGILLIVRAY TWP. — Thieves tried to steal a boat and trailer on West Corner Dr. in McGillivray Township on April 14. London OPP Const. Myra Husk said a reddish brown, older model Ford pickup with two males inside drove off without the boat when a family member returned home. Exeter buiiaing permits looking up new church gets a break • . By Craig Bradford TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER — The continued building lull topped the agenda at an uneventful open door session at Exeter council Monday night. Although only three building permits were issued in Exeter last month for a total of $10,300 (two home renovations and a commercial addition) of work and only five have been issued since . he beginning of '99 'totalling $19,800, ser- vice delivery manager Dave Moyer added things are looking up in the com- ing months with the new Canadian Tire to break ground soon and some activity In new subdivisions around town. a Last year by March, 12 building per- a mits worth $307,200 had been issued. • Precious Blood 1..... been shar has shar Trivitt Memorial Church with Anglican congregation for 25 yea Precious Blood now has grown to point where its congregation needs own space. 9-1-1 coming in Sept. 2000 The Exeter and Area Fire Board w told by Reeve Roy Triebner at its Ap 14 meeting that the Huron County 9-1 system will go on-line in Sept. 2000. Good news for Smith -Peat Smith -Peat Roofing and Sheet Met Ltd. owner Robert Watson received tw pieces of good news at the meeting. First he was granted site pia pproval for plans to build a 8,400 sq. uth repair garage and storage facili n just less than an acre of land on the orth side of Thames Rd. W. just west rancis St. The land has been a farmer eld for some time. Then council awarded Smith -Peat the ender for re -roofing the former police tation at 20 Sanders St. E. Smith -Peat ame in with the lowest of two tenders ubmitted at $5,483.75. The other ten- er, from Keller Roofing and Sheet etal Inc., came in at $6,302.30. The old police station is leased from e town by Dove's Nest thrift store. ign, sign, everywhere a... Those who use portable or temporary gns in Exeter's downtown could be vited to a future town committee of e whole meeting to find out their con- rns on the town revamping its tempo- ry sign bylaw. Mayor Hoogenboom asked that busi- sses that use temp signs have their ance to voice their opinion on the ue. oyer added he will talk with other nicipalitles on what they've done out too many temp signs. hief administrative officer Rick ndey said he and staff have talked out four options when it comes to )fling the too many temp signs prob- ing lem. 1 the The first option is to vigorously enfo rs. the existing bylaw that limits the use the temp signs to 120 days a year. Mo its said there may appear to be lots of si out there, but only about three of th are violating the current bylaw. as The second option is to ban temp si ril altogether. Hundey said the town wou -1 have to come up a definition of wh temp or portable signs are and establis guidelines on what's allowed and wha al not. 0 The third option is to update the exis ing bylaw, created in '87, to address the number of new signs that have come o since. ft. The last option is looking at havi y someone take on all bylaw enforceme in the town. of Coun. Dave Urlin is in favour of enfor 's ing the existing bylaw. Hoogenboom wanted the time lim part of the bylaw looked at and perhap shortened. Coun. George Robertson sided wit revamping the bylaw with heftier fee (the current fee to have a portable sign in town is $10). Armstrong said 120 days isn't a lon time in retail and perhaps there should be an 120 day total for signs with two week intervals of usage and breaks. Coun. Joe Hogan said • if businesses need signs for 120 days' or longer, they really need permanent signs. Reeve Roy Trfebner said it is impor- tant to get the Business -Improvement Association on board. Moyer said the small sandwich board signs businesses put out in front and put back inside at night may be violating the bylaw.' The sandwich board signs also pose a possible liability threat since they are on public land. If anyone gets entangled in a sandwich board and hurts themselves they could sue the town. New 'mart public meeting A public meeting on an official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amend- rce went for the land next to the valu-mart of mall at 62 Thames Rd. E. is scheduled yer for May 3, 7:30 p.m., at Exeter council gns chambers. em For more on the potential new valu- mart, see a related story elsewhere in gns this week's Times -Advocate. Id Blyth gets some cash at Council voted in favour of buying a t sh $125 Blyth Festival Patron membership and will be listed as a municipal sup- porter in the Festival's '99 program. t- In the past, council has only financially supported one theatre — the Huron ut Country Playhouse. Drummond was the only nay vote. ng Exeter and the surrounding municipal- nt ities will be honoured by the Festival the week of July 5 with a special perfor- Precious Blood gets break Precious Blood Mission's buildi fi Other council business: com- mittee got a break from council when it comes to the zoning bylaw amendment t fee it will pay for rezoning the land at s the end of Sanders St. near Precious c Blood School it plans to build a new d church and community centre on. d The town's new zoning bylaw amend- ment fee structure calls for Precious th Blood to pay $925 for the rezoning application but Precious Blood building S committee member Frank Winters explained the old $600 fee was in effect si when the committee picked up the 'n application in in December. He request- th ed Precious Blood pay the $600 and Ce council granted him his wish. ra The only nay vote on the motion was from Coun. Robert Drummond. Coun. ne Peter Armstrong declared a conflict of ch interest and abstained from the discus- lss sion and the vote since he has business M dealings with Precious Blood. mu There will be a public meeting on the ab proposed rezoning (from developmental C zone to institutional zone to allow the Hu construction of a church) on May 3, 7:30 ab p.m., at Exeter council chambers. tac c- mance of Big Box by Dave Carley with a reception to follow on July 6. it Councillors or any other Exeter theatre s buff can go to the July 6 performance. h Tickets are $17.50 each and are avail- able by calling (519) 523-4345. s No tax bills...yet Clerk -treasurer Elizabeth Bell said g Exeter still can't send out interim tax bills due to the province's 10-5-5 tax increase restriction. Under the 10-5-5 legislation, munici- palities can only raise someone's indus- trial, commercial and multi -unit resi- dential taxes 10 per cent in '98 and five per cent each in '99 and 2000. Bell attended a recent meeting held by Huron County in Goderich for municipal clerk/treasurers. Bell said the county still hasn't figured out exactly how to merge the legislation into billing since some industrial, com- mercial and multi -unit residential prop- erties have have huge tax increases under the province's new tax system. Bell said those land owners may not get their interim bills till June or July. Single family homeowners are. receiv- ing their tax bills.