HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1994-7-13, Page 22LUCAN - At a recent meeting,
village council heard a presentation
from regional assessment officials
Stu Stephens and Fred Slater and
have decided to accept their recom-
mendation.
Council will ask the county to
implement reassessment by proper-
ty class based on 1992 market val-
ue for 1995 taxation.
Stephens said although there
would be shifts in the taxation bur-
den through reassessment the total
dollar figure would remain the
same.
Of. the 593 residential properties
in Lucan, it is believed 186 would
have their taxes reduced and the
balance would find a small increase
in theirs.
The assessment officials said
each municipal council in the
county would be visited and they
were getting a favourable response.
Reeve Tom McLaughlin said he
was happy to see an article on
county wide assessment in the Lon-
don Free Press and noted, "Lucan
currently ranks second lowest in
property taxes, but after reassess-
ment we will pay the lowest proper-
ty taxes of all the urban municipali-
ties in Middlesex county."
Council has received a letter from
the province of Ontario stating they
will begin charging a fee for sup-
plementary assessments. Clerk Ron
Reymer said this would not make
much impact on Lucan as, "Ilse
st we have ever had in one year
is0 and they are making the first
30 exempt from payment."
Call tenders
Works superintendent Doug
Johnston has been instructed to call
tenders for the installation of curbs,
gutters. sidewalks and one lift of
asphalt on Duchess street. The ten-
der is to be worded in such a way
ak to permit the deletion of part of
the total contract subject to availa-
ble finances.
Huron -Middlesex Engineering's
estimates fir this work is as fol-
Page 22
Times -Advocate, July 13, 1994
CQMM 1INITY
•
Foreign visitors
A group of Chinese delegates visited Big '0' last Tuesday for a tour of their facilities.
On hand for the days events was from left Hu Liang Jie, Grant Kimes, Jason Lin, Wang
Gao Ge, Li Guang Yiu, Bao Yu Huang and Mayor Bruce Shaw,
Habitat for Humanity.
comes to Huron County
Recipients of interest free
home loans have to help
build other homes for the
non-profit program
GODERICH - Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit,
non-government organization, is now taking ap-
plications in Huron County to determine needs for
lower cost housing and how those needs may be
met.
Habitat Humanity is dedicated to the elimination
of poverty housing, believing that everyone should
at least have a simple, decent place in which to live.
Habitat solicits donations of labour, building ma-
terials and money and uses these to build affordable
homes for families in need. Habitat is a joint ven-
ture in which those benefitting from it participate in
the work. As a condition of being selected for a
home, each family must invest a minimum of 5(X)
hours of "sweat equity" in the construction of their
home or other Habitat houses. This reduces the
costs, increases pride of ownership and also create
opportunities to learn new skills.
Families are required to pay for their homes
through interest free mortgages up to 20 years.
These payments are then returned to a revolving
fund which is then used to build more homes for
more qualifying families.
Anyone wanting information on Habitat Homes
for themselves, or how they may help others acquire
decent housing can write to Habitat for Humanity
Huron County c/o C.A. Geddes, Bluewater Beach.
RR2 Goderich N7A 3X8; or fax 335-3850, phone
565-2513 or 482-9724.
Information leaflets and application forms may
also he picked up at any Huron County Library
Branch, MPP Paul Klopp's office, and at most Hu-
ron County churches.
Hensall noise bylaw rejected
Would it have opened up neighbourhood complaint wars?
HENSALL - Village council
backed away from adding a noise
bylaw to Hensall's hooks Monday
evening, fearful the regulations
could become a Pandora's Box of
problems.
Although Seaforth's noise bylaw
was presented to council Monday
as an example, council members
were concerned that a flood of trivi-
al complaints could tic up an al-
ready awkward bylaw enforcement
system.
An item earlier in the evening,
the animal control officer's report,
seemed to highlight those concerns.
When Alex Irvine was asked about
his investigation of a harking dog
complaint, Irvine said he visited the
home, but the dog tied up outside
didn't hark.
"It wasn't a noise problem, it's a
neighbour problem," concluded Ir-
vine.
"This is what I see as becoming a
problem with the noise bylaw...in
whose opinion is there a noise
problem?" said councillor Jeff Re-
ahurn.
Reeve Cecil Pepper pointed out
that having a uniformed police of-
ficer would make a difference for
Seaforth, which has its own police
force to carry out bylaw enforce-
ment duties.
Council elected to pass over the
item without taking any action.
Will Hensall's new entrance
signs end up in a field?
The Ministry of
Transportation
won't approve
same -size signs
to replace the
ones now in place
HENSALL - New entrance signs
for the Village of Hensall are not
meeting with Ministry of Trans-
portation approval, despite the fact
they - are very similar to signs al-
ready in place.
The village has taken delivery of
new signs to go up on Highway 4,
which will replace the aging ser-
vice club sigrk now in use.
Clerk -treasurer said the ministry
is insisting the new signs be some
70 feet off the centreline of the
highway.
"So they'll be off in the ditch or
something," noted councillor Jeff
Reaburn.
Phair said she was confident
something could be worked out
with the ministry and MPP Paul
Klopp's office is helping. She said
the problem appears to be one of
terminology.
"We went from calling them ser-
vice club signs to municipal iden-
Your
Views
Letters to the editor
War Amps
confused
with Legion
"No politics; no
racial issues;_ no
headdress
attitudes..."
Dear Editor:
Re: The Turban Issue
Public supporters of our
CHAMP and Key Tag Pro-
grams are confusing The War
Amps with the Legion. Sadly
we are being inundated with
complaints stating that support
will be withheld due to what is
perceived to be a racist atti-
tude among veterans.
The War Amps does not op-
erate clubrooms. It is a regis-
tered charity. No politics; no
racial issues; no headdress atti-
tudes - one way or the other.
Sincerely,
H. Clifford Chadderton, OC,
O. Ont, DCL, LLD
Chief Executive Officer
The War Amps
tiftcation signs," said Phair, but not-
ed the service club signs would also
be attached to the boards.
"These signs are going to be the
same thing. They aren't going to be
any bigger," said works super-
intendent John Baker. "But they
look a hell of a lot better."
ar
"We should have just told them
we were fixing the old ones instead
of replacing them. We would have
been alright," said Baker.
Phair said the ministry has even
requested permit fees for the signs,
even though none have been paid in
the past.
Market planning
officer goes to work
To promote new business and to
encourage existing ones to expand
By Fred Groves
T -A staff
GRAND BEND - OMonday, Kelly O'Dea settled into her new
job as Market Planning icer for the Village of Grand Bend along
with the Townships of Stephen and Bosanquet.
Back in February, about 25 local business people gathered in the
council chambers to hear more information about, at the time, what
was being called an Economic Development Officer.
At that time, business owner Randi Ivey, past -president of the
Grand Bend and Area Chamber of Commerce, said the wages for the
new position would come partially from the $125 chamber member-
ships as well as $50 per business the first year.
However, things have changed quite a bit since the winter. Shirley
Andraza, chairman of the Economic Development Committee, said
50 percent of the funding will come from jobsOntario and the rest
from the three municipalities.
"We've been trying to get support from the government. We send
a lot of tax dollars to them," said Andraza of receiving the grant
money.
O'Dea is from St. Johns, Newfoundland and while her office was
to be located at the municipal office the first week, she was going to
be moving into her permanent office above the Grand Bend Library.
"This is a three-year project with a view to becoming a full-time
position," said Andraza. She pointed out that O'Dea has been hired
not to act as a special events promoter but rather, "to encourage new
business and the expansion of existing business."
Grand Bend has many events to bring visitors to the resort com-
munity, there was the recent air show, the Winter Carnival, Poker
Run for speed boats and on August 11-14 the chamber is hosting the
Mid -Summer Festival.
Some merchants, including Jim Todd of Grand Bend Hardware,
have complained that the way in which traffic along the main street
was handled during the air show, hurt some of the businesses.
Andraza said O'Dea could be a liaison between the merchants and
councils.
"She could be very well involved in that."
When the idea of hiring someone to•help in marketing the area
first came out unknown persons calling themselves HAT (Hold all
Taxes Coalition) put up posters in the village, taking a negative ap-
proach to the new position. Andraza hopes that O'Dea will not meet
with any negative response.
"Her first couple of weeks, we'll be getting her familiar with the
area and the businesses. We want to get her exposed to as many peo-
ple as possible. She has a great personality."
Lucan to accept county
reassessment program
Tough new smoking legislation
will be in place by year end
Local pharmacist in favour of government imposed
ban on tobacco sales. for pharmacies and other health
related businesses
EXETER - Recent changes to provincial leg-
islation on sniiking and tobacco sales were
welcome news to one local pharmacist who
feels the tough new Legislation is a step in the
right direction.
"More government control might be better,"
said Leo Krahn, manager and pharmacist of
the Exeter Big V Drug Store. "If you really
want to attack the issue this might be one way
of doing it," he said.
Krahn said all Big V stores have been mov-
ing away from cigarette sales over the past
few years.
"The corporation is in support of the re-
moval of tobacco. Personally, I'm also pleased
to see it moved out," he said.
Effective Decegtber 31, the Tobacco Control
Act will make it illegal to sell or supply to-
bacco products to anyone under 19 years -old.
As well, the Act will prohibit,the sale of to-
bacco products in pharmacies and other health
related establishments and will increase the
fines for selling tobacco to minors.
The Act passed third reading in the Ontario
Legislature on June 23. At that time Ruth Gri-
er, Ontario Health Minister said this new act
will give Ontario the toughest anti-smoking
laws in North America.
Grier said the legislation is aimed at pre-
venting young people from starting to smoke.
"Tobacco kills 13,000 Ontarians each year,"
Grier told the media two weeks ago.
"Each one of these deaths is preventabk.
We must reach our young people before they
start smoking and get addicted. Our legisla-
tion will do just that," she said.
While December 31 has been set as the date
for the new legislation to take effect, Krahn
said his store has been downsizing its inventory
for quite some time now and has been taking
steps to make cigarette displays less visible.
Bu whether the store will push ahead the
deadline to stop selling cigarettes will be de-
cided by head office, Krahn said.
The new Tobacco Control Act will also:
• prohibit or restrict smoking in designated
public places and all health facilities;
• Eliminate so-called Kiddie packs of fewer
than 20 cigarettes;
• allow for health warnings on tobacc ack-
aging;
• require retailers to post health warnings
and age limits;
• prohibit sales of cigarettes from vending
machines as of December 31;
• prohibit smoking in such places as video
arcades;
• restrict smoking in shopping malls to des-
ignated smoking areas;
• allow municipalities to restrict to prohibit
smoking in public places and the workplace;
• provide penalties that include fines and
bans on the right to sell tobacco,
lows: asphalt $40,500; curb and
gutter $40,250 and sidewalks
$22,500.
The village has received a supple-
mentary road construction provin-
cial grant in the amount of $48,000.
Johnston asked to tender for all
three phases, but with an option to
delete all or part of the asphalt. It
was also noted that council must
decide if sidewalks are to go all the
way to Concession 4.
Deputy reeve Harry Wraith who
was in charge of the meeting until
9.20 p.m. when reeve McLaughlin
arrived reported that the Ausable
Bayfield Conservation Authority
was interested in obtaining the old
pedestrian- bridge on Duchess.
In other business, Councillor Rob
Brady asked what is being done
about derelict vehicles and was
told, bylaw enforcement officer
Stan Flood is compiling a list of of-
fending vehicles at the present
time.
Johnston reported that the Prin-
cess street watenmain reconstruc-
tion is complete and Brady said that
cutvert consttuctitlft on Duchess
Avenue was coming along excel-
lently.
Councillor Reg Crawford
thanked the works superintendent
and his staff for watering the trees
through this latest heat wave.
Reeve McLaughlin stated that
something should be done about
the condition of the roadside going
in to the`•sewage treatment plant
and Johnston agreed, saying that
some topsoil will have to be
brought in and levelled off prior to
seeding.
Council learned that Wraith and
Brady would be attending an
A.M.O. recycling workshop in
London on July 19.
Reymer and Johnston are to ar-
range a mating between W.H.
Loyens Lid. andNorth Middlesex
Holdings with respect to the front
ending agreement on the Oibson
Crescent Bxtosion.
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