Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-10-21, Page 12PAGE 12—GODEHICH SIGNAL-STAIt, WEDNESDAY, OUTOBEH 21..1987 Early To Bed Early To Rise Work Like Heck And Advertise CALL OUR ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT TODAY! 524-2.614 �'"'▪ '� • MICROWAVE COOKIfG DEMOnSTRATIOR Learn how to prepare delirious meals with on Inglis Microwave Oven Actu'ol dishes will be prepared during the demonstration ,Microwave School. Wed., Oct. 28 At our Store Wed., Oct. 28 7 - 9 p.m. Call for tickets now Limited to 30-40 people 262-2728 Heather Westbrook Hotpoint microwave Micro Convecto Consultant will be giving A Microwave --Micro Convection Demonstration and cooking school All Microwave Dishes 10% off October 28th only Our complete stock of Hotpoint appliances are on sale until Christmas - Microwave ovens from $198.00 We Service What We Sell DRYSDALE NIAAs CENTRE LTD. HENSALL 262-2726 • Ontario CLOSED MONDAYS OPEN FRIDAY TILL 9 P.M. "THE PLACE TO BUY APPLIANCES" Learn about One Stop Access CLINTON - Interested groups, agencies and individuals are invited to attend a public meeting, October 29, 2 p.m., at Clin- ton Town Hall to learn more about One Stop Access. Input from this meeting will be first step in the development of the One Stop Ac- cess pilot program. This program will assist with the develop- ment of a more co-ordinated approach to the provision and planning of services for the elderly by improving access to services. In Huron County, the Board of Health has been selected as a local authority, responsi- ble for planning, development and manage- ment of One Stop Access. They will be assisted in the development of their pilot project proposal by a research team from the University of Guelph. The Goderich Firefighters recently presented a cheque for $2,417.67 to the Why cular Dystrophy Association of Canada. The annual fundraising drive was held in Gol'erich earlier this summer. Presenting the cheque to Larry Longfield, assistant regional ector of Southwestern Ontario, were: (back row, left to right) Dale Baechler, Mike O'Brie Don Elliott, Rick Sowerby, (middle row, left to right) Ken Crawford, Tim O'Brien, Harol Led- dy, (front row, left to right) Bill Fritzley and Larry Longfield. (photo by Lou -Ann DeStuyn) Urban rebates may be cut • trom page 1 for some "good honest discussion" on the issue rather than confrontation. He said the committee's intention in making the recom- mendation was merely to provoke such a discussion. "I'rn not a confrontation type of person," Reeve Kernighan said. "Those of you who want to make it into a confrontation go ahead." However, he told council the engineer's report is the most, comprehen- sive ever presented on the issue and outlined several options from which the county could choose. The committee chose this recom- mendation because it was the one most like- ly to encourage debate. ,If council were to reduce the urban rebates to the statutory minimum, the move would result in higher taxation at the local level for the five towns and five villages. For the Village of Zurich at least, it would mean a possible five -mill increase, Reeve Bob Fisher said, something the village would be hard-pressed to justify to its ratepayers. Statistics handed out to members of coun- cil by Exeter Reeve Bill Mickle gave a breakdown of the increase in taxation which the towns and villages, would experience in -1.988-should- the-r-elaates..lie. reduced.to 25 per cent. Goderich would appear to be the greatest loser, strictly in terms of total dollars lost, with $58,653 shaved from a rebate of $131,970 at the present level. At the • proposed 25 per cent, the Goderich rebate would be $73,316. For the other towns, the difference in rebates between the present 45 per cent and the proposed 25 per cent would be: Exeter, $28,595; Wingham, $18,216; Clin- ton, $14,849; Seaforth, $12,649. For the villages, the differences would be: Hensall, $9,267; Bayfield, $7,602; Blyth, $4,601; Brussels, $4,493; Zurich, $3,316. Every year, each municipality in the county is assessed for its contribution to the county road levy. At present, however, the urban municipalities receive a 45 per cent rebate on that levy since most have no coun- ty roads - or very few - within their boundaries. This means, as Mr. Mickle's handout states, the towns and villages are con- tributing 55 per cent of their apportionate share toward county roads. If the rebate is reduced, however, the urban municipalities will be faced with paying 75 per cent of their apportionate share to the county road system in addition to a 100 per cent respon- sibility for their own street program. A survey of 10 nearby counties, including Huron, shows that four - Wellington, Mid- dlesex, Lambton and Elgin - have set their urban• rebate level at the statutory minimum of 25 per cent, while just ane, Perth, is at.the statutory maximum of 50 per cent. Both ,Kent and Essex Counties have set their level at 40 per cent, while Grey County's urban rebate level stands at 35 per cent. In Bruce, the level is at 30 per cent, although Kincardine is allowed a 50 per cent MARKET YOUR CORN & SOYBEANS THROUGH US • Up to the minute prices • Fast, efficient and friendly service • Extended hours to receive your grain • Accurate weights and grades • Cheques issued at local branch • Competitive prices DEAL • /dtGhJ,��U I y t I SEEP WHEAT Augusta, Houser, Fredrick Contact us for your fall requirements on fertilizer. Custom application, spreader rentals available where your business is wanted and appreciated 6 Branches to serve you �r sari 262.252 1Vlltc��Il 348»8433 Or 225.2360 56d -forth 346.2545 Ailsa Craig PL 4l tmei 243..322 529.7901 rebate since its main street has been ascim- ed by the county. Bayfield Reeve Dave Johnston sat' a reduction in the rebates at this time w0.1d be inappropriate. He urged the road com- mittee to at least consider phasing in ,"ny reduction over a period of several year, to avoid economic hardship to some of he municipalities. In the past few years, Re ✓e Johnston said, more than $2.3 million in x- tra .provincial funding has gone into Ale county road system. -It seems to me that if this amount if money is not enough to allow us to mainta i our roads, then a mere $170,000 is not goi . to do it," he added. In reply to questions, Mr. Merrall admi ted that there had been an increase in pr vincial funding in the past three years, bi in general, the funding directed to count and regional roads has been decreasin over the longer term. Although Reeve Johnston . and Reeve Fisher were the only two village represen tatives to express their opposition, at leas to any immediate or sharp drop, each of th towns' representatives at the meeting rose to speak against the proposal. "I strongly believe it should stay as thea bylaw now - stipulates t'25- per -...--cent-);" Seaforth Reeve Bill Bennett said. His 1 municipality depends on the rebate to help pay for equipment used inn,maintaining its main street, a county road,"'he added. Wingham Reeve Bruce Machan, Clinton Reeve Bee Cooke and Exeter Deputy Reeve Lossy•Fuller also called on fellow members of council to consider maintaining the status quo. Mr. Mickle called the five -to -six -mill in- crease Exeter would face "unacceptable": While .the provincial government has been generous in grants for the county, he said,. that generosity is not being shown in turn to the towns and villages. In 1981, when the county was getting less in provincial grants, county council set the urban rebate at 45 per cent, Mr. Mickle said. "Now that the grants have increased, you want to cut this back to 25 per cent." Hullett Township Reeve Tom Cunningham said that although the current urban rebate bylaw was passed in 1981, the 45 per cent rate was actually established much earlier, "as long -as I ,can remember." Goderich Township Reeve Grant Stirling agreed and said the 45 per cent rate could have been set as early as 1960. Goderich Reeve Harry Worsell called on council to "take a hard look at this." The proposed reduction -is a "slap in the face" for the county's towns and villages, he 'add- ed. Goderich has no county roads within its boundaries, Mr. Worsell-said, yet the town pays $118,000 to the county road system. To a claim that some of the townships have more miles of urban roads than some of the towns, Mr. Worrell "challenged any township" to match the more than 60 miles of roadway in Goderich. Hay Township Reeve Lionel Wilder, a member of the roads committee, said he made the motion in committee to bring the issue to council and that this particular recommendation was the one which would create the mostcontroversy. Mr. Wilder claimed that of all unsubsidiz- ed expenditures made by Huron County on its roads, only 17 per cent comes from urban municipalities, leaving the townships to pay the remaining 83 per cent. "This is the reason we thought you should look at this." Tuckersmith Township Reeve Bob Bell questioned the wisdom of reducing the rebate from 45 to 25 per cent and suggested sending the issue back to the committee. "Perhaps they can bring it back to 35 or 40 per cent, and phase it in over two or three years," he said. Although at least two of the "rural" reeves mentioned a "rural -urban" split dur- ing their discussion on the issue, Mr. Johnston took objection to the reference. Issues often come before council which will appear on the surface to"favor one side or the other", he said. "There should be no suggestion, however; that this should be considered an urban -rural split." According to Reeve Cunningham, differences on the issue come about because "the `urban' and `rurals' don't understand the problems of each other." All things considered, he said, "I think that things do balance opt." It was Reeve Cunningham who said Stephen Township had more miles of urba the within its boundaries than some of the towns and village's. He also pointed out that the on- ly ,,aaccess to the Village of Brussels is by cojmty roadway. tephen Township Reeve Tom Tomes said he would favor a reduction in the urban rebates if it ultimately meant a reduction in taxes for residents of his municipality. "We do have more traffic on some of our roads than most county roads," Reeve Tomes said, referring specifically to the Centralia area. "However, I would hate to see it (the reduction) create an urban -rural split." At the end of more than an hour of discus- sion, council decided to send the recommen- dation back to the road committee for fur- ther consideration.