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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1971-05-06, Page 1Mu A:6h 64), NO. 1S --FIRST WITH THe LOCAL NEWS ZURICH, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, MAY 6. 1971 Adopts CountyHuron Plan For Welfare Administration 10 CENTS PER COPY SOD -TURNING CEREMONY - Rainy weather last Saturday failed to dampen the spirits of this group of men at Grand Bend, as they turned the sod to mark the beginning of construction on their new medical centre. Members of the committee in charge of the project, along with the contractor, were present for the occasion, along with a number of interested spectators. To date, over $23, 000 has been donated to the project. Stanley Township Tax Rate Same as '70 There will be no change in the tax rate for residents in Stanley Township this year, following the setting of various rates at the regular meeting of the council on Monday night. Total mill rate for public school supporters is 87.9 for residential and 95 for commercial. Separate school rates will be almost two mills Huron County Budget Changes Little For 1971 (by Shirley J. Keller) Clerk -treasurer John Berry pres- ented the county budget to memb• ers of Huron County Council meeting in Goderich last Thurs- day. There were few questions from council concerning it and the $3, 909, 050 budget was passed easily. There were some notes from Berry with the budget which ex- plained some details. "Although the County levy will be very similar to 1970, " stated Berry, "in some cases municip- alities will pay more County levy, others will pay less as a result of the fact we have to use the equal- izing factor in determining the apportionment of costs for each municipality. Again it should be pointed out that we are now using a percentage of costs rather than the mill rate system. " "Another factor that does not show up directly in the budget, " continued Berry, "is the fact there are rebates to the urban municipalities in connection with their highway levy. In other words, 45 percent of the highway levy for the urban municipalities is rebated to these municipalities each year. For 1971 this will amount to approximately $122, 00( "There is also one reserve find which does not appear this year in our budget, " concluded Berry. "That is the Hospital Reserve where we have $5, 000 invested, This is the result of a previous planned program over the past years whereby we allocated funds to the hospital reserve made pay - (continued on page 13) less than that of the public school supporters. The county rate in Stanley this year is 20.15 mills; township rate, 22.85 residential and 25.5 com- mercial; secondary school rate, 23.8 residential and 26.2 com- mercial; elementary school rate, 20.1 residential and 22.15 com- mercial; separate school rate, 18.62 mills for residential. There is no commercial separate school assessment in the township. Stanley council also agreed to levy a rate of one-fifth of a mill for Federation of Agriculture. Taxes in Stanley Township will be paid only once this year, and the due date is November 30. In order to eliminate collecting taxes twice yearly, the council agreed to levy one mill on all taxes to pay the interest on the money needed to meet their half - yearly obligation to the Huron Board of Education. All municip- alities must remit their school taxes twice yearly. In other business at their Mon- day night meeting, the council adopted a resolution from the city of St. Catherines, asking the provincial government to with -hold any further action to- wards regional government. Two tenders for drainage cont- racts were awarded at the meet- ing. The contract for the Grun- wald Municipal Drain was award- ed to Parker and Parker, of Hen- sall, for the sum of $702, while a contract for the Grunewald- Glenn drain was awarded to Ken Acton, of Watford, for the sum of $2678. A report on the McGowan drain was read at the meeting, with the •costs estimated at $19, 500. A petition was also received for a municipal drain on the south half of lot 5, concession 13, Stanley, and C.F. Corbett, P. Eng. was instructed to proceed with the plans for this project. Six tile drainage loans were processed at the meeting, in the amount of $12, 200. A grant of $10 was approved to the Huron County Historical Society, and another in the amount of $25 was approved for the Hensall South Huron Agric- ultural Society. Council also approved the membership in the Huron County Municipal Officer's Association, and authorized the payment of the $10 membership fees for the year. Total accounts approved for payment at the meeting amount- ed to $2032.77 for general and $2053.50 for roads. The incentive works project which has been approved for Stanley Township is work on the five- acre park land, located on sideroad 10, south of Bayfield. This work, which receives a government grant, is being car- ried out at the present time. Total assessment in Stanley Township this year for taxation purposes is $2, 818,175. in resid- ential and $101, 005. in commer- cial. There is also an additional assessment of $6550. for school taxation purposes only. (by Shirley J. Keller) The entire morning and a large part of the afternoon at the April session of Huron County Council last Thursday was taken up with heated discussion conc- erning the pros and cons of a county welfare system, but by mid-afternoon council voted 20 to 19 in favor of the system which will take welfare matters out of the hands of the local municipal- ities and put all residents on the same basis as far as welfare is concerned. First estimates are that the plar will cost the county between $30, 000 and $40, 000 per annum depending on the size of the staff engaged. Of this money, 50 percent would be refunded by the province of Ontario making the net cost to the ratepayers of Huron County $15, 000 to $20, 000 The recorded vote showed that those in favor of county welfare were Warden Jack Alexander, John Baker, Derry Boyle, Paul Carroll (2) Frank Cook, Cecil Desjardine, Joe Dietrich, Gerry Ginn, David Gower (2) Gordon Hess, Harbld Lobb, Robert Lyons, D.R. MacGregor, J.L. McCut- cheon, Doug McNeil, Ed Odd- liefson, Charles Thomas and Harold Wild. Those opposed were George Baillie, Allan Campbell, Bill Elston, Lloyd Ferguson, John Flannery, Hugh Flynn, Eugene Frayne, Elmer Hayter, Lloyd Hendrick, Joe Hoffman, Alec McGregor, Everett Mcllwain, Anson McKinley, Ken McMich- ael, Roy Pattison, Girvin Reed, Harold Robinson and Elgin Thomp son. Discussion showed that the greatest welfare problem is in the urban areas of the county where people come seeking jobs and other services. Many rural representatives who come from municipalities where the welfare problem is almost non- existant were reluctant to support a prog- ram which was going to cost them more money at the local level. "If McKillop township had industry in it like some of the municipalities I don't think we'd kick about county welfare, " stat- ed Allan Campbell, reeve of McKillop, " We can look after our own welfare problems effic- iently." ffic- iently." Reeve Paul Carroll, Goderich said he felt it would be a "reg- ressive step" to turn down county welfare just because one's own municipality did not have a problem. (continued on page 14) Hensall Council Sets Tax Rate For 1971; Regulate Hours For Municipal Dump when work replacing the drain on Queen Street would commence. He had a further complaint reg- arding the sidewalk to the east and south of his nursing home. He also wanted to know if the dirt section between the pave- ment and the sidewalk could be dug out and replaced with gravel, He was asked to be patient for (continued on page 3) (by Rena Caldwell) Hensall council met May 3 in the Council Chambers with all members present, reeve Baker presiding. Clerk Campbell read the min- utes of the last meeting which were approved on motion of Murray Baker and Leonard Erb. Harry Klungel reported water in his basement and inquired _ > sa SIGN CONTRACT FOR MEDICAL CENTRE - Following the sod -turning ceremony for the new medical centre at Grand Bend on Saturday morning, officials signed the contract for construction of the building with George Kadlecik, of London and Grand Bend. Shown here is Bill Sturdevant, chairman of the project, signing the official papers while vice-chairman Harry Hamilton, secretary Jack Mennel and contractor George Kadlecik look on. Work is to be completed by June 30.