The Times Advocate, 2004-01-14, Page 22
Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Regional
wrap up
Joins coalition
GODERICH
Goderich has joined the
Great Lakes Coalition.
The Goderich Signal -
Star reported town
councillors unanimously
approved the annual
$5,000 membership fee
in hopes that Goderich
would become a destina-
tion for the growing
industry.
The decision came fol-
lowing a presentation by
Stephen Burnett last
month.
While Burnett stressed
the fee would not guar-
antee a ship would be
visiting Goderich, he did
say the town's member-
ship would become part
of a larger pot that
allows his organization
to approach owners of
cruise ships to try and
invite to come into the
Great Lakes.
Jr. D hockey
SEAFORTH — While
a London man has
approached the
Seaforth and District
Community Centre's
board about starting
up another Junior D
hockey team in
Seaforth, Ontario
Hockey Association
president Brent Ladds
predicts an "uphill
climb."
The Huron Expositor
reported Ladds made
the comment Jan. 5,
citing a lack of local
involvement reflected
in the debt owed by
the Seaforth Junior D
Centenaires during its
final two years in oper-
ation.
New tanker
CLINTON — Central
Huron will be paying at
lease $47,312.98
towards the purchase
of a new tanker for the
Blyth Fire Department.
The Clinton News -
Record reported in the
event that Huron East
leaves the fire service
agreement with North
Huron, Central Huron
may have to pay
$53,178.35.
The original motion
gave Huron East the
room to leave the
agreement. An amend-
ed motion removed this
stipulation and was
carried by Central
Huron council.
Schools use caution in bad weather
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER — When it comes to deciding
whether or not to open schools during bad
weather, schools err on the side of caution.
While some parents may have been sur-
prised when several area schools were closed
Jan. 7 during a sunny day in Exeter, Avon
Maitland District School Board communica-
tions manager Steve Howe said bad weather
early in the day led to the closure decision.
Several schools, including Exeter Public,
Stephen Central, Usborne Central, Zurich,
Huron Centennial and Hensall public schools
were closed Jan. 7. South Huron District High
School remained open, but buses didn't run.
Precious Blood and Our Lady of Mount
Carmel were closed Jan. 6-7.
Howe said a bad weather system swept
through Perth County early in the morning
and was heading into Huron County.
"It turned out to be not a bad day later on,"
he said.
Decisions to close schools and cancel buses
in Perth County were made at about 6:15
a.m., Howe said. When the system pulled into
Huron County, similar decisions were made.
The decision to close Exeter Public, for
example, was made at 7:32 a.m.
Decisions to close schools or cancel buses
are done in consultation with the bus opera-
tors, who can start monitoring road condi-
tions as early as 5 a.m., and the principals.
In the Exeter area, Howe said several
schools and principals consult on weather
conditions in various areas of the county.
"It can be snowing heavily in Exeter and be
sunny in Clinton."
On Jan. 7, Howe said the forecast was for
strong winds and blowing snow all day.
"Although it did become sunny, the winds
did stay for most of the day. It got fairly bad
in the morning."
Last year, on Feb. 4, Howe said some stu-
dents were stranded overnight in several
schools when a storm hit in the middle of the
day.
"Because the conditions got so bad and the
highways were closed, they couldn't send
(students) home. And you couldn't tell the
parents to come and pick them up because
the roads were closed."
At the time, Howe said the school board
received criticism for having the schools open
that day, even though weather was good in
the morning.
And while some parents may think the
schools shouldn't have closed last week,
Howe says, "You have to remember that the
number one priority of the board is the safety
of the students and if there's any doubt at all,
you err on the side of caution and cancel."
"Once you've made the decision to close
based on the weather, even if it gets nice, you
can't call them back."
In addition to the snow and wind condi-
tions, there was the bitter cold to contend
with last week, Howe said, adding the cold
can cause problems during recess and lunch
hours. There is another cold snap coming at
the end of this week and the school board is
consulting with the Huron County Health Unit
on how principals should deal with the cold.
County needs help with water source protection
By Pauline Kerr
SPECIAL TO THE T -A
GODERICH — Huron County
council is looking at how to pur-
sue water quality protection.
However, funding is a key issue
for a number of councillors.
"I don't think we have the
financial resources at this point
to be the leader," said Coun. Rob
Morley of South Huron.
The health unit held a water
quality meeting Nov. 28, 2003,
involving beach water quality.
Representatives from various
groups participated, including
scientists and cottage owners.
At the request of Penny
Nelligan, director of the health
unit, Scott Tousaw, director of
planning and development,
reported on a report from the
meeting being prepared for
council.
"We're working on a report,
also on budget implications," he
said, noting council has three
possible ways of handling the sit-
uation. Council could do nothing,
which would have no budget
implications. The second possi-
bility is council could strike a
steering committee. With staff
resources and related costs, it
could run $80,000-$100,000.
With the third possibility, coun-
cil would pursue programs,
Tousaw said. It would require
setting up reserves in the
amount of $500,000 to $1 mil-
lion.
Former county warden Coun.
Dave Urlin said the county took
the lead and called all parties
together.
"We realized we were all part
of the problem and have to all be
part of the solution." He went on
to say the conservation authority
is "going to have to step up to the
plate" at some point. "This is
their thing," he said.
Coun. Rosemary Rognvaldson
of Howick said that as a repre-
sentative to the Maitland Valley
Conservation Authority, she
would hate to see duplication of
effort."
In a later interview, she said
it's easy for the province to say
it's in favour of (water) source
protection, but if it isn't support-
ed with funds, it's an empty
promise."
She went on to say the
O'Connor report recommenda-
tions have to be supported with
provincial and federal funding.
Rognvaldson said, "It makes
sense for the county and conser-
vation authority to work togeth-
er... each has expertise to bring
to the table."
Coun. Deb Shewfelt of Goderich
said he'd like to see the province
paying for programs that the
counties and conservation
authorities would manage.
And working to eliminate pollu-
tion along the lakeshore should
not fall on the shoulders of
Huron County alone. "We have to
do a lot of work along the lake.
City people should pay some of
the cost for source protection."
Rezoning application
Continued from front page
Rezoning accepted
Council also approved a
rezoning application from
Dean and Jane Boyle on
their Willis Way property.
The rezoning changes the
property from develop-
mental to residential and
allows for the construction
of a single family dwelling.
The zoning calls for a six
metre setback from the
railway which runs beside
the property.
Goderich-Exeter Railway
general manager Robert
Decicco said the six
metres is adequate given
the fact there is only on
average one train per
week each way on the
railway not exceeding 25
cars and travelling at a
maximum of 15 miles per
hour.
Congrats on opening
There were positive
words all around for
Saturday's grand opening
of the Relouw Early
Childhood Learning
Centre. Both Urlin and
Morley congratulated the
committee on getting the
centre open.
"It will be an asset to the
community for a long
time," Urlin said
"Everybody was very
impressed."
Morley said the company
who owns the building
and will run the centre,
London Bridge, said
they've never worked with
a municipality that gave
them as much co-opera-
tion as South Huron did.
Banking committee hopeful
Continued from front page
Zurich were fairly large,
so that was behind locat-
ing in Hensall," Novak
said.
Novak added consoli-
dating the two branches
would solidify the
Hensall branch, "and our
intention is even to
increase the staff in
Hensall."
Asked about future lev-
els of service in the area
and whether BMO had
guidelines on populations
levels to maintain bank-
ing services, Novak said
no.
"When we looked at it,
we are reasonably well
represented in this area,
but in terms of number
of households and num-
bers of branches in a
specific area, no not at
all."
Redick hopes people
will be patient and keep
their accounts where
they are for the time
being and says "hopefully
by June when the bank
moves out we'll have an
alternative for them."
"We're concerned
about people moving
their accounts now, and
if they move to a differ-
ent location, it's going to
be more difficult to get
them to move back if a
new company comes in."
BMO was hosting a
meeting Tuesday night
after the Times -Advocate
went to press at the
Zurich Mennonite
Church to explain how
the move to Hensall
would affect customers.
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