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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance Times, 1995-04-12, Page 12Starved for attention...This hungry looking band of youths spent the April 1 weekend fasting for the 40 -Hour Famine. The St. Paul's Youth Group raised over $760 for World Vision. After some delicious pizza, the youth group took to the bowling lanes in town to cele- brate their success. In front: Patty Heibein, Kim Hollenbeck, Terri Marks, Kenny Wright, Mary Vaudry, Melanie Carter, Heather Wright. Back row: Leader Elaine Delisle, Darlene Norman, Ben McIntyre, Audrae Dickson, Joel Leitch, Jeff Leitch and leader Sandra Wall. East Wawanosh council approves zoning by-laws East Wawanosh Township council passed two zoning -amend- ment by-laws at their April meet- ing last Tuesday afternoon. The first amendment was for Part Lot 28, Concession 8, owned by Roy Hardy. 'The property would be changed from AGI (gen- eral agriculture) to AG4-4 (agri- cultural small holding - special zoning). The purpose of the re -zoning was to permit the establishment of a single -wide mobile home .on' the property. The property has a'264 - foot frontage and a depth of 148 feet, with a totalarea of 0.9 acres. The .property already contains an existing old school house. The special AG4=4 zone will permit a single -wide mobile home to locate on the property and also permit the former school house to be located within the front yard of the pro- posed single -wide mobile home. Hardy said that the school was not used that much. He added that he felt this process was 'just a rip- off for the owner.' Brian Treble of the Huron County planning department said the county roads department had no objections, in principle, but that there were certain conditions, in- cluding the ditch not being filled in. Treble also said that the Huron County Health Unit had no objec- tibns. The second' amendment was for Part Lot 28 Concession 6, and would change the zoning from AG 1 (general agriculture) to AG3- 3 (agriculture commercial, indus- trial - special provisions). The purpose of the re -zoning was to permit the establishment of a saw mill and related buildings, on the portion of the property zoned AG3-3. The property is also zoned AG1, NEI and NE3 (natit- ral environment zones). The total area is ' 81 acres, fronts onto County Road 22 and has a front- age of 1,617.6 feet. Treble said ' that the Hurbn County Health Unit had no objec- •-tions, but was concerned on on- site sewage. However, the county roads department was concerned that the property was on a road with a spring load restriction. Peter Parent of Tri -County Lumber said that they could 'live with the road restrictions.' He not- ed that the road restrictions only in effect about two months of the year, so it is not that much of a problem. Parent said they could take half a load out a one time to Auburn, • and then go back for another half load, and then' put the full load on at Auburn. John Hildebrand of West Waw- anosh Township was. opposed to the sawmill, because' it was right across the road !from, pr©pet7.y., He said his property value would decrease by 20 to 25 per cent. • Treble said that as long as the mill meets Ministry of the Envi- ronment and Energy requirements, especially in regards to containing the sawdust, he could see no rea- son to not allow the re -zoning. Council approved the re -zoning amendments. Land owners have 20 days to appeal the decision. If there are no appeals, a.build- ing perr tit will be awarded, but if there are .appeals, a final decision will have to be made by the Onta- rio Municipal Board (OMB). WEDNESDAY Apo 12.1995 Wingham PUC to purchase new bucket truck this year The Wingham Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has ordered a new bucket truck, which should be delivered in the fall. The 1995 bucket truck was or- dered last month from Telelect Canada Inc. in Guelph, during a special meeting of the PUC. The 57 -foot double bucket truck will cost $194,643 plus taxes. The total price includes the truck being painted to the Wingham PUC's specifications. The fibreglas utility body will be installed on a Ford model FT 900 chassis. The PUC also received a tender from Amador Aerials Inc. of Brampton, for a 55 -foot double bucket truck, in the amount of $189,879, plus taxes. PUC general manager Ken Sax- . ton told the commission that the $215,757, plus taxes, for a truck with a 60 -foot aerial device was too much money, and that the PUC would be losing too much space on the back of the truck for storage purposes, due to elevator space required. The buckets of the truck would feature dual control and emergen- cy lowering device. The dual con- trol (duplicate single handle upper control station) would give the two employees in the bucket sep- arate control of the buckets, and the emergency lowering devices is used if the aerial device disfunc- tions and will not release, then the battery operated pump will allow the aerial to function so that it can be brought down safely. Saxton pointed out that the truck would have a Cummins en- gine. There will be no trade-in for the PUC's current buck truck, but there were three options available. The PUC manager said Telelect knew of art interested utility which could possibly purchase the truck for around S30,000 to $35,000; the PUC could keep the truck for fu- ture use; or they could rent it to another utility. ' "In the event of regionalization and possible expansion of this utiI- ity, we should consider keeping this vehicle for use at that time," said Saxton. Duskocy feels permits 'cart ahead of the horse' When it comes to building per- mits in Morris Township, council- lor John Duskocy feels they are 'putting the cart before the horse.' The comment was made during building inspector Paul Josling's report to the council. He had one application for discussion purpos- es as well as a building and demo- lition permit. The building and demolition permit were for Jack and Betty Glousher on the north half of'trot 11, of Concession 2. Council passed by-law 13 which would al- low the Gloushers to build a new residence. The demolition permit was approved for the existing house, which would have to be de- molished within a year of the issu- ing of the permit. There were reports that the ex- isting house had already been de- molished. Coun. Duskocy said applica- tions for permits should have to come to council before construc- tion gets under way. "It is illegal for me to withhold permits," said Josling, adding that there is a potential of 64 different pieces of applicable law. Josling said that the township should check with its solicitor. Coun. Keith Johnston said that it was good for council to know what was going on, but he didn't think someone should have to wait to build a house. "There is other stuff going on (in the township) without coming to this office," said Coun. Dusko- cy. Josling noted that before large barns are constructed, the owner has to come to council to get a permit. The application for discussion was from John Pipe of the north half of Lot 23 on Concession 6, for putting an old 37 -foot -by -six- foot mobile trailer in the bush on his property to be used as a snow- mobile retreat. Ashfield waste site meeting Lets face it, garbage is not pret- ty! Perhaps that is why politicians speak of it as being waste, it sounds more sanitary doesn't it? But, mixed with round and under gfi;lind Water 'it''M t rnakeanyone` including agriculture livestock, and 'other animals sick. We cherish our children; livestock is how farmers make their living. There is no pre-, cautionthat should not be taken to safeguard our water supply. Many residents think that they will be safe from the harmful .af- fects of the proposed dump site known as A3 located just south of Highway 86 and the 4th• side road in Ashfield Township. It is uncer- tain why, because they live in an- other county or miles away or that highways and roads are barriers, but water above or below ground knows no boundaries and will flow in any direction and reach its desti- nation. Greta Thompson who will be speaking in Lucknow, will give us all the reasons we..need.- to get in-, formed about the proposed A3 dump site. In the documentation that Greta sent to Mr. Payne of the Concerned Citizens of Ashfield and Area Residents (CCOAA) it states that at the ridge landfill site in the Blenheim Ont. area there were tox- ins from industrial waste, to disease debris from hospitals, to nuclear waste. Isn't that a frightening thought with the Ashfield proposed A3 site being a matter of some 45 minutes from the Bruce Nuclear Plant. The sponsor of the public meet- ing is the (CCOAA). This local group has insisted that further test drilling be halted until their 50 plus and growing questions" be ad- dressed and resolved. "Many of (CCOAA) members disagree in principal to a central dump site being set up anywhere in Huron County. Every effort should be made to find an alternative to burying trash." Matthew Staehli, a member of (CCOAA) has received information on high tech alternative operations from Switzerland, Ger- many and oilier areas. "Until these systems are serious- ly looked at it is only sensible that this dump site be put on hold stat- us." The (COAA) public forum fea- turing Greta Thompson will be held at the Lucknow and District .Com- munity Centre, Sat. April 15, 1995 at 1 p.m. Wheels Away `coming out of its infancy' Piluke says Ridership increase prones need for specialized transit services The specialized transportation service, Wheels Away, is coming "out of its infancy and into the tod- dler years," Chairman Vicky Piluke told, the annual meeting of the North Huron Special Transit Cor- poration last Wednesday evening, April 5. In operation since 1991. Wheels Away provides specialized trans- portation to residents of North Hu- ron and South Bruce counties who meet eligibility criteria. Although the service has had its growing pains, Piluke says, it is moving ahead and 1995 appears like a ban- ner year for the organization. In fact, ridership was up 53 per cent last year, "so that proves there is a need" for the service, says Piluke. The Wheels Away board is con- sidering the replacement of its 1991 wheelchair lift van. As well. office space has been provided for the ser- vice at Wingham and District Hos- pital. In his year-end report, accoun- tant Russ Taylor of Barry Reid & Associates in Wingham noted "a favorable trend". That is, even though Wheels Away still is run- ning a deficit -- $5,351 for 1994 -- that figure has declined from $9.732 in 1993. "That is a trend that you work to- ward and hopefully in the years to come it '(the• deficit) can' be elimi-• nated," Taylor said. The deficit has forced the, Wheels 'Away board to Make suite tough decisions, most notably add- ing a surcharge to riders in munici- palities which do not contribute to the Wheels Away deficit. Turnber- ry clients, who account for 30 per cent of those registered with Wheels Away, were informed earli- er this year that they will be paying a surcharge as council declined to contribute to the 1994 Wheels Away operating deficit. Earlier this year, members of the hoard visited each of the Wheels Away member municipalities to in- form them of their apportionments of the 1994 operating deficit and secondly, to discuss the possbility of signing an ongoing agreement with 'Wheels Away. And Piluke said the board will continue to com- municate with all councils. She also pledged to the residents of Turnberry, "We're (the Wheels Away board) not letting it rest...There's no more free rides, but we don't want to hurt the peo- ple who use it (the service)." Barb Snowden asked what could be done to counteract the impact of negative press -- newspaper articles about Turnbetry's decision not to fund Wheels Away in particular and seeming misinformation. Pi- luke replied that education of coun- cil members and the public about the good work of Wheels Away and the role it plays in the commu- nity is the best way to get the point across. A new Wheels Away board was elected at the meeting and includes: Chairman Piluke,, Ron Beecroft, Doug Fraser, Bill Cane, Barbara Macdougall, Bert Elliott, Lynne Bridge, Bev Brown. Ronda Ben- nett, Mary Terpstra and Jack Fis- cher. • A tenth board member is re- quired, as are volunteers to help with Wheels Away. Anyone inter- ested is asked to call Vicky Piluke at 357-2526 or Bev Brown, 887- 9621. Gloria Workman, who is step- ping down from the board after a number of years, was honored for her contribution. Also leaving the board are Barb Snowden, Cam McMillan and Bill Glazier. Guest speaker at the meeting was Fraser Bell, the new executive di- rector of the Huron -Perth District Health Council. The health council'is a volunteer body of 20 people representing health care providers, concerned citizens and local government. Its mandate is to conduct planning for health services at the district level and advise the health minister of that plan. " Although the health council is concerned with health services, there is a definite social services as- pect, said Bell and that is where or- ganizations such as Wheels Away come in. "Transportation is a vital thing in rural communities...We have to cooperate more in small communities to make the best of what we've got." The health council will take an inventory of services and identify gaps; said Bell. Then it will struc- ture a plan, taking the existing sys- tem and building upon it. Wheels Away Board... Members of the North Huron Special Transit Corporation board for 1995 are: back, Ron Beecroft; Doug Fraser, Bill Cane, Barbara Macdougall, Bert Elliott, Lynne Bridge; front, Bev Brown, Vicky Piluke, chairman, Ronda Bennett and Jack Fischer. Ab- sent from the photograph IS Mary Terpstra.