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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-05-12, Page 1a • SRJP'S� 4 & Exeter f3S-6261 P.C. Top 1.79 SEJP's valu-ma 4 A 83 Exeter 2354262 P.C. Shrubs 4.99 TIME S ADVOCATE Exeter, Ontario, Canada ilibillSoako,Play 12 t!!! $1.00 (includes GST) r,. Grappling with how to spend $240,000 windfall By Craig liradawd TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER What would you do if $240,000 fell into your lap? That's the question Exeter com- mittee of the whole tried to answer at Monday night's meeting The province has. granted the money under its Special Circumstances Grant that the town didn't expect to receive this year and did not budget for. The province has put no restrictions on what the money can be spent on. Council came to a consensus the money should be earmarked first for replacing the South Huron Rec Centre roof. The cost of that pro- ject could be any where from $40,000 to more than $150;000, Deputy Reeve/rec board member Dave Urlin said, adding the public works department is looking into prices. The town has put aside $60,000 in a reserve for the new arena roof, $15,000 from this year's pro- posed budget. Coun. Robert Drummond made the recommendation the arena roof projectvbe given the first tri- ority anifbrthe specification and tendering process to get starta0 soon as possible with the wodrtir be done by next hockey/skating, season. Drummondfurther moved funds left over fronthe arena roof project would then be invested and later go to other projects identified and prioritized by council. The recommendation passed. 'ther projects mentioned at the .ting include the new library, ie proposed medical clinic to attract new doctors to Exeter and a concrete slab so skateboarders can build their own facility..Urlin said the latter project could involve moving the Victorialk wading pool to beside the MacNaughton Park pool and replacing the Victoria Park wading pool with a concrete slab. 1 think we need to do something for those people," Mayor Ben Hoogenboom said about the skate- boarders who have been pushing for their own stand alone facility for years. Hoogenboom added "The medical clinic the number one priorb- would have to be ty should be the arena considered a priori" root Caun. George Robertson, a propo- nent of the new library, pushed for his pet project saying at least some money should be squirreled away for the library since it is a year- round facility. Reeve Roy Triebner said all pro- jects should be included in the town's five year capital projects plan instead of on some kind of "wish list." The proposed medical clinic gen- erated the most discussion. "The medical clinic would have to be considered a priority," Coun. Peter Armstrong, a strong backer of the project, said. Hoogenboom outlined prelimi- nary plans for the medical clinic. He said a non-profit group would be created to spearhead fund-rais- ing, planning, construction and doctor recruitment. The clinic would be then built to attract doc- tors to this area while also meet- ing the needs of existing doctors who would be encouraged to relo- cate to the clinic. Doctors would pay rent to offset the construction costs. Robertson questioned why, an empty facility should be built with- out having doctors already com- mitted to move into it. Armstrong said doctor commit- ment would be part of the scenario. In related bud- getary matters, the final budget meeting wiihlbte held May 27, - PETER ARMSTRONG 6:p.m., in town EXETER Cout . comicil chambers. Staffhave been waiting to nate their final budget recommendations for the el of tenders on an estimatedostn, $330,000 vgorth OrrOad recon- struction ani repaving work width chore May. 25.. Earlier ln t e-metin& clerk treasurer Elizabeth Bell expressed her concerns on.howthe town will avoid arfirture tax increase if the annualus iswiped out. surpl Any surplus the town has after a budgatyear must be turned into a. listed revenue the next year • according to the Mtmicipal Act to See COUNCIL pawl More for the buck with expanded fireworks sale season EXETER — Fireworks lovers will have lots more time to buy their trea- sured roman Candles and burning schoolhouses this year. Exeter committee of the whole recommended the fireworks sale season be expanded from just three days before Victoria Day and Canada Day to May 1 to July 10 at Monday night's meeting. Stedman's Bob Gehan requested the fireworks sale season be opened up all year round since municipalities surround- ing Exeter sell them all year round. He said he's losing business while Exeterites are importing fireworks to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions and other events. Fireworks sales will also be allowed during the month leading up to the millennium celebra- tions on Jan. 31, 1999. In a report to the com- mittee, chief administra- tive officer Rick Hundey said opening up the fire- works season to a couple of months is *• happy medium betweent'all year round sales and the restrictive few days when it comes to business con- cerns, public safety, noise concerns and bylaw enforcement. Coun. George Robertson, a former Exeter police officer, pointed out the sale of firecrackers is illegal in Canada and that the pop- ular bangers are sepa- rated from fireworks when it comes to the law. Other notes from the meeting: Hospital merger public forum The committee looking at restructuring the administrn.tion of the region's hospitals will hold a public forum at Exeter council chambers on June 2 starting at 7 p.m. to update the public on the committee's progress. More money for IPM The committee of the whole recommended council approve spending $750 more on the 1999 International Plowing Match that will transform two farms north of Dashwood into a tented city from Sept. 21-25. The money is to pay the town's share of three booths at the entrances to the tented city that will promote the town, the Exeter Business Association and the Chamber of Commerce. The booths will be replicas of Exeter Olde Town Hall and 'goodie bags' containing infor- mation on what the Exeter area has to offer will be banded out to IPM visitors. election 99 wide OPP tract doubles 's casts HURON -BRUCE •-- Tory candidate an current MPP John was the b of the ron-Bruce it `ravinci`election can.. didates last week. Johns Criss-crossed the riding as soon as Premier Mike Harris called for an election on June 3 earlier in the; week. Johns startedwith a press conference ons? Friday morning at her Exeter constituency office when she detailed a plan to keep South Huron Hospital's emergency room from closing this summer (see related story else- where in this week's T- A). Johns then opened See CANDIDATES peas 2 MSALL Village council has learned it will pay twice as muck fur policing because the majority of Huron Count," mtuticipalities have voted for a coun- ty -wide OPP contract. When council initially looked at figures, a county- wide police contract would have saved money. But a new quote from the Ministry, of Finance estimates„ costs at $66,014 while the .county -wide quote iso $131,239. In 1998, the province estimated it would cost Hensall $128,758 but the year-end total costs were only ilt1,052 resulting in: an $87,716 credit for the village. Reeve Cecil Pepper said under the' County -wide contract, costs would be assessed based on the OPP work load. Clerk Treasurer Luanne Phair said many munici- palities voted to go with a county -wide OPP contract before they received the Minis, of Finance figures. Because the contract received a triple -majority at the county level, the village is forced to participate. Council voted to send a letter to county council, copied to the municipalities, that it does not support a county -wide contract. Phair has written to the Ministry of Finance about the difference in the quoted costs and has applied for additional fiends from the Special Circumstances Fund to assist with the policing costs.